


We’re all Just Dreaming

by coolbattlegirl, The_Lich_Queen, TicciTock188



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: (he's related to the twins so yeah), Alternate Universe - Dreamtale (Undertale), Amnesia, Angst, Backstory, Crushes, Crying, Flashbacks, Fluff, Games, I'll tag as the story goes, Manipulation, Marigold - Freeform, Mind Games, Mystery, Nightmare Sans - Freeform, Other, Past, Puzzles, Riddles, Secrets, Temporary Amnesia, Trust, Trust Issues, Undertale (video game) - Freeform, Void - Character - Freeform, Witches, beware of some weird if not funny tags, corruption is being shady as fuc, everyone shady as fuc, like lots and lots of puzzles, literally everyone is fishy, magika where the funk is your soul?, mentions of aus and the multiverse, ooooooo magic, panic attacks(?), searching games, someone does a kris move, supporters, the dream manor is shady as fuc, the dream manor is strange, theirs a freaking heart shape hole in your chest, void, yet the twins are even shadier
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:40:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 24,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23751709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coolbattlegirl/pseuds/coolbattlegirl, https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Lich_Queen/pseuds/The_Lich_Queen, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TicciTock188/pseuds/TicciTock188
Summary: A amnesic skeleton finds himself in a strange manor after receiving a invitation addressed to him. How come the residents seem to know who he is? Join him in the quest to end what they started.
Kudos: 23





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> So... um this got deleted and yeah.... 0w0)”

"Why?"  
…

  
"Why do you want to go back?"  
…

  
"Why? Why go back? There’s nothing left."

...

  
"It’ll just hurt you more."

...

  
"This isn’t what you want?"

  
…

  
"The world is always full of hate and despair... Was this world not good enough?"

...

  
" Is something missing from here?"

...

  
" Tell me. What can I do so that you’ll stay."

Something is missing...

Something's not right...

What’s wrong here?

  
...

  
"This is my world now."


	2. Welcome to The Dream Manor!

Heavy rain pours down, gusts of wind blew across the land. Thunder sounded the alarm which leads the way for its eternal partner, lightning.

The strong winds that went on without pausing, bent the treetops- as these went past the dark forest, they made whistling noises and groans of wood that threaten to break.

In the midst of all this, a skeleton marches up a slope- the rain pounded against his hood of the dark blue hoodie he had brought before making this journey; which became the only thing to shield him from the raging storm- mud caked onto the bottom of his new yellow boots, making which step harder to move.

The skeleton held onto his new hoodie by the front, keeping the hood close around his skull, allowing only his sockets to peer outwards.

At last, he pauses; then glances ahead of him, up the aged dark path. It was bordered by the forest, in some places overgrown- he had to push through some dense parts every now and again during his long climb.

The small skeleton was mostly protected by these trees. It almost seemed that they would bend towards him, guarding him against the strong howling winds; perhaps the trees were the only thing that was preventing the storm from carrying him away.

Gritting his teeth he continues on up the path- Before the storm had started, he had been following the map he had correctly, however it soon got too hard to keep it out and returned it to his monster loot bag, in order not to lose it.

And he had lost his way since then; he had seen the Manor's lights at a distance and a dim level of joy came within him.

The thunder rocked the heavens- Lightning split the dark skies, creating a flash of white-hot light and allowing him to see the gates for a second.

The skeleton smiles weakly at the sight, then presses on.

Bowing his skull down he keeps his sockets on the muddy slope, he focused all his remaining power into his legs and pushed hard.

For what seemed like hours he continues to climb. Then he reaches a path surface.

Quickly looking up he sees the gate meters ahead of him and hurries over to them.

Glancing through them he blinks... he seemed to be at the back or side of the Manor rather than the front.

There was a giant wooden patio decking lined with fences- there were some stairs leading up them and in the dim light coming out of the windows, he could see outside table and chairs.

The skeleton steps back and studies the gate, it seemed rather old- then glances back at the path that had been clearly unkept, he realizes that this must have been an older entrance to the Manor. He looks back at the building, above the patio he could see evidence of an old stone entrance that had been replaced and updated into modern glass windows.

The skeleton also realized that this gate was padlocked off.

And remembering how big the plot of the land was from the map, he really did not want to walks all the way around the tall metal fencing. Night had already fallen and the storm did not appear to be easing off any time soon.

The skeleton wanders to the metal bars that made up the fencing, sizing it up- then lifting one leg, he carefully guides it through. By the time his foot is touching the ground of the other side, his whole side was pushed against the cold bars.

The skeletons smile, he could easily get the rest of himself through- the second choice had to dismantle himself and place his bones through one by one, but this seemed the better idea now.

He slips through and hops on his legs for a moment; once he regained his balances he turns to the Manor- lightning decided to add to the scene by flashes just above it, almost touching the roof.

Grabbing his hoodie's front once more, he hurries towards the steps that lead onto the patio- as he reaches it his muddy boots began to splatter against the wood, leading thick footsteps behind with the rain making them ooze outwards.

The skeleton halts- he gazes at the old entrance and sees that it was no longer a door he could use.

Then he glances around.

And sees a glass sliding door a little away from where he stood.

Quickly he turns that way and hurries over to it, hoping it was open.

As he reaches the glass, touching the glass gently with one hand- then lightning flashes behind him; some monsters seated inside the manor scream at the sight of him.

Other monster leapt to their feet, while a few fled, some came rushes towards the glass door. The skeleton steps back in panic at the enraged expression a couple wore.

The glass was thrown open and the monster started forming their magic.

"Wait! This is one of our guests!" A voice from inside shouted, causing everyone to stop.

The skeleton blinks, turning he sees a human rushes over to him, a bright smile on their face.

"Greeting! Please come in! We have been waiting for you!" They told him kindly, placing a hand behind his shoulder and leading him inside, "Come in where it is warm!"

The human took him into the center of the room, where the monsters had once again gathered in this room. The skeleton notices that there were not just monsters in the room, but a few humans too.

"Allow me to introduce our final guest," The human calls over the creatures, "Magika!"

The skeleton known as Magika removes the overly large hoodie, revealing himself to be a normal-looking Sans skeleton- he wore a large pale pink jumper and brown shorts that just reached his knees. There was a slight crack upon the left side of his skull.

No one made a move to greet him, all mumbling under their breaths. Looking at him with strange eyes.

The human turns to Magika Sans with a warm smile.

"Must have been a rough climb." The human told him, "I'll show you to your room where you can rest and clean up."

The human began to move and he follows after; he noted that she had yet to give her name, but he was guessing that she was the host who had to send him the invite. So she had to know him.

Magika had woken up in a hotel room, his mind a complete blank. There had been nothing with him, only the clothes on his back and a few items in his loot bag, along with a small amount of G, which he bought the hoodie and boots with since he woke up with no shoes...

The human and the skeleton came into the main lobby, where a grand lobby was white marble flooring shone brightly- he could hear the human's footstep echo upon them... his however made a wet sloppy sound- Magika pauses and glances behind. He had left a muddy trail.

His host had not mentioned this and continued towards the giant impressive-looking staircase had rich red carpet, which was surrounded by dark oak wood for the banister.

He partly wondered why they had not said a word about the mess he was making, not even telling him to remove the boots.

The skeleton hurries along, he would say sorry once he reaches his room.

Soon the pair were climbing the stairs and his sockets narrowed suddenly as his thoughts turned on other matters.

Magika had only come to this place in hopes of discovering who he was, where he came from and why he had been that hotel room- a letter had been delivered to his room a mere hour after waiting up, requesting him to come to the Manor.

There was no phone number for him to contact, he had to just show up.

Magika had hoped someone was going to know him once he got here, but no one came to greet him as a friend or family member- the human had introduced him to them, meaning this was the first time them all meeting him right.

"Some of the other guests have already turned in for the night." The human tells him as they reached a certain door, she opens it with a strange gold key and then hands it to him, "You can greet everyone at breakfast in the morning."

Magika blinks at the key, then wanders inside the room- he studies the interior. The ceiling was high and had a plastered pattern moulded there. It had a double bed with soft blue covers, and had a oak bed frame. An oak desk under a window, the same kind of oak as the rest of the furniture- wardrobe chest of drawers and bedside table. It looked almost like a master bedroom. 

These were meaningless to him, he had no clothes to put them in.

The colors of the walls were slightly darker than his covers, and the carpet was cream in color.

"And do not worry about how they all reacted to your arrival," The human calls to him, making him turn to see them slowly closing the door, "Before you showed up, we were discussing the history of The Dream Manor. And it put everyone on edge."

The door closed fully, leaving him with even more questions than when he first woke up.

Someone here must know him. Someone here must have a reason for asking him to come to this event that was being held in his Manor. They must know he has lost his memories right? No. Maybe that was not the case.

Magika walks over to the bed with the thought of removing his boot- when he suddenly remembered the mud on them once again. Magika quickly looked behind to see the damage...

The cream carpet was clean.

Quickly glancing down at his boots.

There was not a trace of mud on them, they looked as new as when he first got them yesterday morning.

More questions arose in the skeletons' confused mind.

Without a word he crawls upon the bed and just flops down, not bothering to tuck himself in, for some reason he was already dry from the rain- he starts to drift off to into dreamless sleep, the sound of the storm singing him a lullaby.

XD ~ DX

Magika woke up well-rested.

Sitting up, the first thing he noticed was that he was under the covers.

And he was also wearing what appeared to be a nightgown.

Shocked he kicks the covers off of him and jumps up. Someone had come into his room changed his clothes and placed him under the covers without waking up?!

A low creaky noise sounded in the silent room- spinning around, he sees the large double-doored wardrobe shutting up.

Thinking someone was hiding in there, he summons a bone and hurries over- then without fear, opens it wide and blinks.

There were clothes. Lots of clothes. And they all looked like they would be able to fit him.

Shaking his skull he reaches for a jumper similar to what he wore the previous day before, the same with the shorts.

A knocking came on his chamber room. Hugging the clothes to his chest he hurries over to it... the room was too big for a small skeleton like him.

Magika opens it slightly and peeks out- he sees one of the monsters from the night before.

"Morning buddy!" They said in a friendly manner, they lean toward the door as if they wanted to come inside, "Did you sleep well Magika?"

"*O-oh! Y-yeah. I-I'm sorry." Came Magika said with a small unsure tone, "I never caught your name last night. I arrived really late and never- I-I have to greet all the other guests at breakfast."

The monster froze. Then frown.

"What do you mean? You already know my name. " They said with a hint of confusion, he glances over to someone else in the hallway with him, "Magika, everyone here are friends. We came here together. Remember?"

"*W-what? N-no... I-I came here on my own last night." Magika says as said frowning lightly at the strange monster, "I-I climbed the slope at the back of the manor... I want to speak to the owner too. I need to ask them a few questions."

The monster silently watched him, as if trying to determine if this was a joke or not.

"Magika bud... you are the owner." The monster told him, "We came here to help clean up this place when it became yours suddenly over the summer. And you didn't come last night, you have been here most of the summer."

"*Wait. I'm lost. Owner? M-me? N-no. I-I only came here because of a letter..." Magika said stepping back he pulls out the letter from his loot bag, the door opens fully, letting him some other monsters standing there, they gave him a wave.

The monster took the letter and looks over it, "This is the letter you got when you found out it became your Manor. Look around your neck too. You have the Master Key."

Magika glances down, hanging around his neck was the golden key he had sworn he had placed in his loot bag... or did he? The letter appears in his face and he takes it. The words on the page were different.

It was no longer an invite requesting him to join a summer event. It was official looking letter informing him that he had just received the Dream Manor as an inheritance.

The skeleton glances back to the monster.

"*You... you're my friend?" Magika questions lightly, his expression blank.

"Yeah. Everyone here is your friend." The monster went on with a kind smile, "Well. There are some who are friends of friends. You told everyone to bring anyone willing to help clean up the place. And have a party when its all over. We done the hard part. It's time to relax and get really to enjoy ourselves now."

"*Okay... let me get dressed." Magika said stepping back, grabbing the door, "I... I won't be to long."

"Okay. We'll see you in the breakfast hall." The monster says turning away, smiling brightly at him. They leave with the other monster.

Magika shuts the door.

"*What's going on here..." Magika questions the air, he got no answers. The world had become an even more confusing place, "However... since they claimed to be my friends. They should know me."

  
With a heavy sigh, he wanders further into the room, still hugging the clothes- he glances out the window where the sunlight shone in the morning sky, it hit some of the droplets of rain that was on the leaves of a tree outside his window. It made them look like little diamonds.

Magika now had to decide- should pretend to know them and get information out of them that way, or should he outright explain he could not remember anything. They were a danger in both ways since they could be lying in both settings. Why lie about knowing him when clearly they all had been weary the night before. They would have seen that he was their friend and not someone to attack right? The skeleton plays through the night's events... he had his new hoodie on- he shakes his skull. No. They would have known him when he took it off, a smile of relief or something that let him know that they knew him there and then. And then there was th-

Magika sighs again, his mind was spinning with the many questions. Nothing was making sense to him. 


	3. Exploring The Dream Manor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magika makes a possible ally and maybe possibly a friend. Curious he explores the Dream Manor.

After he finished changing Magika started towards the door before he turned back to snatch his loot bag. You never know. He might need it later in the day. Magika closed the grand oak door and started for the stairs before he ran into a human.

"Ah! I-I'm sorry I didn't see you there."

  
The human smiled warmly at him before shaking their head.

  
"No,It's my bad. I was running too fast." Magika took note of their green and blue striped sweater shirt. They wore a light pink skirt which as over light brown shorts. But what really caught his eyes were their hair. The tips of their light brown hair were light pink. They seemed to notice his stare as they reached towards the tip of their hair.

"Looks strange doesn't it?" They asked Magika.

He quickly shook his head in denial. He didn't mean to offend them!

"N-no! I think it looks lovely!"

They looked surprised at his comment before smiling warmly at him.

"Oh! Why thank you... I'm Corruption! It's nice to meet you!"

"I-I'm Magika. I-it's nice to meet you too."

They giggled lightly before turning towards the stairs. Suddenly, a pleasing aroma filled the air. The scent of fresh, soft breading invaded his nose. It kind of smelled like... pancakes? It smelled... nice. Magika smiled at the smell.

  
"I think breakfast is ready. Let's not keep them waiting." They extended a hand to him, which Magika happily took. It seemed that he made an ally or maybe... maybe a friend. Corruption leads him down the stair and into the dining room. A few monsters and humans were already seated at the table, but a few seats were still unoccupied.  


"What are you waiting for? Let's eat!" Corruption dragged him towards one of the empty seats and pulls it out for him.  
Sitting down he stared at the fluffy golden pancake before him, before taking a small piece of it.  
It was the most delicious pancake that he had ever eaten in his life.

  
Magika took another piece and before he knew it, the plate was empty. His hunger a satisfied for the time being. Looking around he noticed that the table was full now. They were all busy eating and chatting with each other. Deciding now was the time to explore the grand manor he had "supposedly" inherited. He silently left the table to explore. Magika walked through the grand lobby he had seen the previous night. He looked around his awe as he took in the beauty of the room. It looked so much more beautiful in the day. The white marble floor reflected the glow of the sun that shown through the window. Turning left he went down the corridor passing many doors before a sign caught his eye.

  
"The... library?" There was a library in the manor? He shouldn't be surprised but he was.

"Of course, there would be a library in the manor with how grand it was. " He whispered to himself as he opened the library door. He had expected a small room and a few bookcases, but he wasn't expecting... an enormous grand library. With bookcases that seemed almost endless, and a spiral golden staircase stood in the center of the room. Magika stared in shock at the room.

  
"I-i can't..." He couldn't possibly be the owner of this manor! H-he couldn't possibly own a manor that he can't even seem to remember inheriting.  
Soon his shock wore off and it was replaced with awe. It was... "Magnificent..." It was the most magnificent library he had ever laid eyes on. Finally, he stepped into the room. His hand trailing passes the spine of the books as he walked by. Suddenly his foot hit something on the ground. Looking down he saw a worn down notebook.  


"Hm? What's this doing here?" bending down he picked up the notebook. Just before he could open the page he heard Corruption calling him.

"Magika?! Are you in here?!"

  
Quickly he stuffed the book into his loot bag. As he hurried towards the door.  
"I-I'm coming!" He called out.  
He found Corruption standing by the doorway.

"I finally found you. I see you found the library. Did you find anything... interesting?" Magika shook his head.

"Um... No, I was just looking around." He didn't think that he should tell them of the notebook just yet.

  
"... Well... okay. Let's go the game's about to start." Corruption motioned him to follow them.  
Confused Magika asked them...

  
"What game?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to comment! They make my day. Have any questions about the characters or fanfic? Just ask.


	4. Explaining The Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> REM Sleep' and 'Sleep Paralysis' Belongs to Laughing_zombie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy this chapter!

The skeleton and the human walks down a long wide corridor, it had dark oak wall panels halfway up the walls, then painted a strange cream colour- the carpets were red with a brown and black pattern on it.

It seemed where they went, different parts of the manor had a different colour scheme- which made no sense to Magika. The only thing he seemed to serve was breaking up all the corridors that could appear the same- since every door looked the same. It was almost maze-like.

Thankfully Corruption looked confident as to where they were looking and lead the skeleton through the many halls.

Magika follows along just a few steps behind Corruption- unlike the other guests in the Manor, they were the only one he felt a connection too.

All the other monsters and humans were just...

Magika halts in his tracks, the human continued walking on, never noticing that the skeleton had stopped- he lifts one hand up to his skull and rubs his temple; for the life of him, he could not recall what kind of monsters he met the night before, looked like, nor could he picture any of the other humans.

In his mind, they were all blurred images together.

"Magika?" Corruption's voice calls out to him, looking up he see them studying him carefully, "Is all well?"

"*I- I have an odd question." Magika starts with a deep breath, the human nods for him to continue, "What... what type of monsters and humans are staying with us?"

"Type?" Corruption asks with a raised brow, then smiles sweetly, "Don't worry. Everyone here is your friend. We all came here to help you after all."

Magika blinks at the answers, then he realizes that they thought he meant personality-wise.

"*No. I can't remember their faces." Magika quickly explains, trying to get his point across, "Everything is just a blur... this is not making sense..."

It sounded crazy when he spoke this aloud.

Magika sighs deeply, then stares at them, they were listening with a kind understanding smile with no hint of annoyance at his words. For some reason, he found this refreshing, that someone was willing to listen to his troubles.

Magika gives them a small smile, he had been right to think them a friend. Perhaps his only friend in this place, since he felt nothing for everyone else.

'*Maybe it would be best to tell them everything from the beginning.' Magika thinks to himself with a firm nod, then to Corruption, "*Is there somewhere we can go-"

"Magika! Come on! Everyone is waiting on you!" A voice calls out to him, he looks down the end of the corridor, where a shadowy figure was in the doorway.

Magika felt a little disappointed at this- he would now see others crowding around the doorway, feel their eyes watching him.

"We can talk later then." Corruption promises him with a bright smile, "The game is about to begin!" The pair starts walking towards the room at a faster pace, "I can't join in though."

"*Huh?" Magika says blinking in confusion, then frowns, "Why not?"

"Because I helped set it up!" Corruption told him proudly, "Its a game I think you'd like!"

They pair wanders into a large billiard room- the monsters and humans were circling a pool table with one monster standing on his own at one end.

"Magika! You're here!" The monster cries out joyfully- as the skeleton nears, he notices that this was a young goat monster, with blonde hair that flicked upwards and a blonde goatee.

'*I've got to find out everyone's names...' Magkia thinks to himself, as he takes his place in the group. Glancing around he notices that Corruption was no longer with him. On one side of him was a tall fish monster, on the other, was a dog monster.

"Now that everyone is here! I'll explain the game!" The goat monster began to say loudly, he held up a piece of paper, "It's called! Word Search!"

Magika blinks...

"Everyone will get a piece of paper with a question or poem," The goat goes on with a bold smile as he looks around at the faces of confusion, "Once you work out the answer, you have to find the answer. Like, if the answer is bath. Go find a bath!"

Someone stepped close to Magkia, turning he sees a turtle monster handing him a slip of folded paper, he took it in his hand and that monster moves on to the next.

"The first three questions will be the same as everyone else's." The goat continues on joyfully, "That means the answer is something everyone can get to and access."

Magika still felt a little lost, as if feeling this, the goat went on.

"The twist is! That after a certain time there will be limited questions hidden in the places!" The goats said while eyeing up the monsters and humans there, "You have to find out the answer before any other monsters and humans here do!"

The goat leans towards them with a grin, seeming very excited about the game.

Even Magika was starting to smile at the joy that was radiating from the other.

"There will be enough questions for everyone until the fourth round," The goat happily told them, "Then there will only be fifteen questions and one of you who is not fast enough will be OUT!"

Magika understood the game. He glances around and notices that while some were still a little bit lost, others were grinning.

"The game starts in ten minutes! And ends at the witching hour!" The goat declares to them as he turns around, giving them a two-finger salute as he leaves, "There will be a prize for the winner!"

The goat exited the room as if he was some kind of king, then everyone began to chatter loudly.

Magika quickly slips through the monsters and leaves the noisy room.

While the game sounded fun, it did not give him the answers he wanted or needed... could it?

It seemed like the game will take him all around the manor- this place was meant to be his or it was given to him, perhaps by a family member, so there had to be some kind of record. And it was not just him moving around the manor, others too, meaning he could take them aside and talk to them without causing a scene in front of everyone.

The clock struck twelve, the chimes that followed echoed throughout the manor.

Someone seemed to fell silent in the room behind him while these rang out twelve times.

Magika blinks.

"Let the games begin!" Someone roars when the grandfather clock stops, the monsters and humans came flooring out the room, making the small skeleton leap to one side and press himself against the wall.

As his 'friends' left, which had begun opening the piece of paper they had been given.

Once everyone was out of sight he came off the wall and held up the piece of paper, he opens it to read the contents:

[My life can be measured in hours, I serve by being devoured. Thin, I am quick. Fat, I am slow, and wind is my foe.]

Magika rereads it once more, then pockets the piece of paper. The game was not his aim.

The skeleton starts moving down the corridor, dark green carpets, pale blue walls with a strange symbol near the bottom. As he went he noticed that he no longer hear anyone. Had they all discovered the answer and gone to that place?

Pausing he looks around, hoping that Corruption would appear. However he was alone... which was nothing new, since waking up he had been lost and alone.

'*I feel like I'm forgetting something.' Magika thinks dully, then frowns. Deciding not to worry about it he starts to move once more, he hurries along and once into a large tall room, which was broken into two parts- there were wooden steps leading to a platform to the second part that overlooked the first.

There was a fireplace and two tall windows on half of the room that was still as one.

Under the platform was very dark but he could make out two figures moving.

The skeleton walks towards them- and gasping he drops to one knee, holding the place where his SOUL should be. Fear.

Something was making him very afraid.

Gritting his teeth he forces himself to raise and try to see what was so scary...

Two tall black skeleton stare at him from the shadows. One smiling at him brightly, the other glaring at him at hatefully.

They step forward into the light and stare at him like he was some kind of rare creature in a zoo.

This gave Magika a chance to study them in-depth.

They were pure black- apart from tear like markings on their cheeks. One had dark yellow tear markings on their right cheek and the had dark purple tear markings on their left cheek.

Both had long black tails, it looked like vertebral columns until the halfway point, where it began a solid mass with many strings coming off of it- these strings like bones began thicker in places, and towards their ends thin; its appearance was like a creepy tree- within this creepy black tree was what looked like an apple seeds.

The apple seeds were different colors too. One yellow and the other purple.

Both had red sockets, but their eye lights were different. The purple seeded one had purple glowing orbs, that had a lighter purple in the form of upside-down crescent moon shapes at the top. The other had upside-down dark yellow glowing stars.

The purple seeded black skeleton wore a black leather vest with belts designs on the chest. He wore midnight colored tight leather trousers, with the same colored leather jacket, which he wears like a cape on his shoulders. Along with black boots with silver belts and studs.

He was the one glaring down at him.

The yellow seeded one was wearing a yellow Mandarin collar long robe, with blue stitches running throughout it. Underneath were loose black trousers peeking out. And black martial arts slippers.

He was grinning at him happily.

"*Greetings!" The yellow seeded one said cheerfully, "You must be Magika!"

"*Y-yes." Magika answers with a frown, "I thought everyone here knew me."

The answer only made him grin more.

"*Is that so." The same one hums out, grinning, "Ah! Forgive me! Where are my manners! I am REM Sleep! And this is my twin brother Sleep Paralysis!"

Sleep Paralysis nods his greeting and Magika nods in return.

"*But I must say! I am impressed!" REM Sleep told him grinning, "Most would be a sobbing pile on the floor by now! Well done for standing!"

Magika frowns, he did not know what the other meant by this.

"Magika!" Came a familiar voice Magika blinked and found Corruption suddenly beside him, facing the twins, glaring at the black skeletons.

  
Magika blinks again when he noticed that the pink of their hair appeared to be glowing, it slowly began eating up the brown hair.

"*C-Corruption?" Magika asks in confusion- As if breaking a spell, the glowing stops and they turn to him, grabbing him by the arm, they start to pull him away from the pair. Taking him away from them; he glances back at the twins who were watching him all the way out of the room.

It was only when they were a couple of rooms down did Corruption stop.

"I'm sorry." Corruption says not looking at him, "But no matter what. Do not listen to anything they tell you."

"*W-why? A-are they not my friends too?" Magika questions them, hoping to get some answers.

"No. Those two should not be here." Corruption said turning to look at him, staring him right into the sockets, "Those two are not your friends. They are not even guests."

"*Then... s-should we ask them to leave then?" Magika asks with a frown, remembering the pair... oddly enough he would remember them better than some monsters and humans he has seen during breakfast.

"I don't think so... those two are too strong for us to deal with." Corruption said with a strange tone, "And they can not do anything to us unless we-" they suddenly smile brightly, "No matter. Why don't we just continue on with the game and forget about those two? Just don't listen to them okay."

Choosing to trust his friend he nods, then they turn and wander down the corridor.

Magika waited until they were out of sight before reaching for his loot bag- he was planning on writing down all that had to happen in that notebook he had found. Pulling it out, he opens it and blinks at the words on the second page.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to leave a comment ^v^)


	5. ~Searching for Clues~

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finding the clues that has been scattered around the manor.

Magika ran a hand over the words on the second page.

  
"This property belongs to The Dream Witch..." He read out loud.  
The Dream Witch? He had been planning to write in the notebook, but it appeared to have had an owner already. But... it had been dropped on the floor... sighing he took out a pencil he had gotten from his room and began to write. He hopes the Dream Witch didn't mind him using it. After rereading what he wrote he closed the book, content with his work. Magika then slipped the notebook back into his loot bag and carried on with the game.

"How am I suppose to find something that's life can be measured in hours and serves by being devoured?" Frustrated with the riddle that he received he huffed angrily. Brainstorming on what the answer could be. He walked down the candlelit hallway; turning he looked at the flickering flame of the candle.

"Could it be...." looking back at the riddle then back at the candle he smiled. Walking towards the candle he reached for the piece of paper that had been tucked away behind the candle.

  
Finally, he got the next riddle unfolding the paper he began to read the words.

  
"I can bring tears to your eyes; resurrect the dead, make you smile, and reverse time. I form in an instant but I last a lifetime. What am I?"  
Reading over the riddle again he frowned in confusion as he held the paper.  
"What can be formed in an instant but can last a lifetime?" Magika was stumped. Turning he walked down the hallway the riddle still repeating in his head.

"Ugh.... what could it be..." Magika wandered around the manor before realizing he was lost. Mentally slapping himself he sighed. How could he have gotten lost? In his "supposedly" own manor?! First things first. Which way did he come from? Racking his head he groaned in frustration.

  
"Memory don't you fail me now!" He yelled at himself. Before he could even proceed with his task he halted.

"That's it. Memory! That's that answer to the riddle!" He thought in excitement before he frowned.

"...How am I suppose to find a memory exactly?" They couldn't make the game impossible, would they? Maybe he's overthinking it. It's probably something simple.

"Something that has memories in it... wait... I got it!"

Turning he ran towards the library his feet carrying him in the right direction.  
A few moments later Magika arrived before the grand library door. As Magika hunted the bookcases for the object of his answers. He finally found it.  


"Aha!" He held the photo album above his head in victory. Proud that his search wasn't in vain he sat down at the nearest table. Flipping the pages of the photo album he came across a folded piece of paper stuck between two pages. He happily took the clue and began to unfold it when a photo caught his eye. Magika carefully slips the delicate photo out of its frame and examined the person in the photo. It was him. He was smiling at the camera and in his hands was a teacup in the photo, even though he was smiling...his eyes didn't match the soft warm smile worn on his face. Glancing around the library to make sure the coast was clear, he slipped the photo into his loot bag. As he was getting up to leave he paused.

"...Actually...you know what... " Magika then proceeded to slip the entire photo album into his loot bag. (Hey don't look at him like that) Maybe it could help him remember what he forgot.

Maybe... just maybe he could... shaking his head of the absurd idea, he started to read the next clue.

  
"I run but I cannot walk, I sometimes sing but never talk, I lack arms but I have hands, I lack a head but I have a face..."  


"It can run but can't walk. It can sometimes sing but never talks. And It lacks arms but has hands?" As he started to get lost unto his thoughts he didn't notice Corruption enter the library.

  
"Ah! Magika!" Corruption waved at him as they walked happily over to him.

  
"?! Ah! C-corruption! I didn't see you there." Magika set the paper onto the table to face Corruption. They giggled a little before looking at the third clue. Corruption looked surprised for a moment before smiling.  


"So, I see you found the third clue. Congrats! You're way ahead of everyone." Magika blinked surprised by the information that he just heard. He was... he was way ahead of the others? And here he thought he would be the last, with everything that had happened to him in the past hour or so.  
Wait. Wasn't Corruption technically one of the game masters? Since they did help out with the game. Wouldn't that mean they would get in trouble for helping him?

  
"Hey um... Corruption..." Corruption turned to him and smiled waiting for him to continue.

"Um... aren't you technically not suppose to help me since... you are the person that help set up this game?" Corruption stayed silent for a few moments before they laughed; grinning widely at him.  


" Hehehe... Yeah, I'm not supposed to be helping anyone. But, I wanted to see how you were doing. I mean... don't worry I'm sure you'll find the next clue soon. You still have until The Witching Hour."

  
Magika nodded. Yeah, he still had plenty of time to figure out the next clue.  
...Wait... did... did they just...?

  
"Wait. Corruption-...." Magika turned to find that Corruption had already disappeared from the library.

.

.

.

God, he hopes they won't do that again.


	6. Time to Play

Magika wandered alone through the many hallways and rooms- he was now looking for a place where he could study the notebook and photo album. However everywhere he went there were monsters and humans searching through different items.

The photo album confirmed one thing- he had a connection to this manor.

Which added onto his long list of questions.

If this place was his home, why did he wake up in a hotel room?

From what he gathered he had spent the whole summer cleaning this place and now was enjoying the fruits of his labour with his friends.

So why had no one seem to know him the first night but knew him as their friend the next morning?

'*A prank maybe?' Magika thinks dully to himself, 'friends prank friends all the time. Right?'

A door slams open in front of him, causing him to startle; two laughing rabbit monsters came walking out both holding two pieces of paper.

On seeing him, they gave him a friendly wave and smile brightly at him, then they wander off down the hallway. Magika watches them go... he felt nothing for them. If these monster were truly his friends, then surely he should feel something?

Shaking his skull, he continues on walking- no matter where he goes the small skeleton could hear the sound of laughter, chatter and things being moved about.

His mind went over to the game; he actually did want to play it, it sounded fun. And it gave him a chance to check the place out. Only this manor seems more like a maze and he half questioned if he should keep his hand on the left wall.

His mind drifts through the questions that kept rolling around in his mind, then it lands back onto the game.

'*Perhaps I should play. Then ask Corruption after.' Magika thinks as he came to a halt and rubs his temple, 'Why didn't I think of that before? If I complete the game, then I would have time to ask questions.'

Magika brings out the piece of paper that held the next clue, smiling he rereads it aloud:

[I run but I cannot walk, I sometimes sing but never talk, I lack arms but I have hands, I lack ahead but I have a face. What am I?]

Suddenly the grandfather clock struck one and a single chime rang throughout the manor.

"*I wonder where that is? For it to be heard everywhere..." Magika hums out, he looks back at the paper, "It's been an hour since the game began? That seemed to have gone quick."

Magika's mind starts going off in a different direction; the witching hour. Which was normally one o'clock in the morning.

"*Wow. We had thirteen hours to play this game?" Magika says a little stunned at this, "These questions don't seem that hard... so far...huh?"

Magika blinks gazes around him- he no longer could hear anyone.

The more he listened the more the silence seemed loud.

The skeleton was at one end on a long hallway, he stood next to a glass door that leads out onto a balcony. He could see some steps going downwards. This made him frown, he had been sure he was one the first level, he could not remember travelling up the stairs- he should if he did since the staircase was something that was too impressive to ignore.

Turning away from the glass door, he looks down the long hallway- it had blue walls and cream carpet. All the doors running along either side were shut.

A low rumble could be heard, he spins around and stares outside. The skies were dark once more, rain hit the balcony slowly darken the stone it was made out of until the whole surface was wet. The rain also began water falling down the glass.

Magika looks again down the hallway, it was now very dark and since it was during the day, no lights were on.

A low noise could be heard and he listens intently, trying to hear passed the rain... it sounded like claws being ran over the glass.

Magika let out a choked gasp when the sound suddenly screeches loudly behind him- spinning around he backs away from the glass door. That was now open.

Rainwater poured in, soaking the carpet.

Looking all around, he tries to see if any monsters get entered. They had been some birds monsters, he was almost sure, they could have made that sound.

A cold gust of wind blew.

Yet not from the open door.

But from behind him.

Magika slowly looks over his shoulder, there was no creature there. But the hallway had gotten darker like it was in the middle of the night rather than the afternoon with just an overcast of rainclouds.

The skeleton rushes to the first door and turning the handles, pulls at it. The door easily opens and he went in, slamming it behind him.

Magika then leans his back against the door, gasping like a fish out of water.

'*S-someone must be playing a prank on me.' Magika thinks quickly to himself, trying to justify what was happening just now, 'T-these monsters are my friends. And friends p-prank friends!' 

A new noise came, it overpowered the rain- it sounded like burning.

Then he could smell smoke. It seemed like it was coming from right next to him, but the room was dark and there was no hint of a fire's glow from anywhere.

A long scraping noise came from the door he was leaning on, he pushes himself off of it and ran further into the room, trying to see if there was another exit. He seemed to be in an unused bedroom, everything was covered in white sheets.

'*Hide under them!' Magika mind shouted at him and he darts over to a shape of a chair, lifting up the sheet he sees he was right, there was an old brown and white sofa, complete with matching cushions.

The skeleton climbs on and curls himself onto the sofa, trying to act like a cushion bump.

Then he heard low talking- to which he almost sighs out, someone really was just toying with him.

Then more talking joined in- sounds like there were far more creatures than he knew was in the manor. And he was sure he never heard the door open, so how did they get into the room with him?

Then it all stopped.

The crackling of the fire, the scraping, the talking. All just stopped.

Then somehow Magika knew, just knew that was was someone or something hovering just beyond his hiding place.

The sound of heavy breathing came close to his hiding place, right where his skull was- he did everything he could, just to stop himself rattling.

Then he heard a deep and raspy voice whisper, "Burn the witch!"

The sheets were yanked off him and he sat up with a cry- to see Corruption staring down at him, looking at him in shock.

Magika leapt to his feet and pulls the human into a hug and allowed himself to rattle in fear- the tips of their hair seemed to be glowing with pink. He felt them hold him, rubbing a hand on his spine, whispering soft words.

They help him sit down, it took a while to calm him, but soon he managed to utter out a few words. They seemed to piece together what happened and angrily stared off at no one.

"Are you okay now?" They questioned him, to which he nods. Corruption smiles at him, "Maybe you should quit the game. Come and stay with me in the living room. All who have given up are there."

"*Give up?" Magika mumbles out, for some reason the idea of giving him left an ill feeling in the pit where his SOUL was meant to be- of sitting around and doing nothing made his mind spin, "N-no." he said surprising him firmly he answered once again, "No. I want to continue with the game."

The skeleton raised himself on his feet and grins at him. The human smiles at him.

"... If you say so." Corruption says with a sigh, then stands as well, "I can't make you do anything you don't want to do. But maybe you should stick to the places where there are others around you. This wing of the manor is not used."

"*But there was others around me." Magika told them, frowning deeply, "I don't know how I even got here. OR where here even is."

"I can lead you back to the main area." Corruption told him, taking him by the hand, together they walk towards the door, "Have you discovered the answer?"

"*Yeah- clock." Magika told them, letting himself be lead and at the moment he did not mind being treated as a child, he was still a little shaky at what just happened, "The answer is a clock."

"Lots of clocks around the hallways and corridors." Corruption says to him with a gentle smile, as the left the door and quickly closes the door shut behind them, "You're spoiled for choice really. I even think there is one in every room."

Magika smiles back at them- he was actually thinking about that grandfather clock that kept chiming loudly.

"*Where is that grandfather clock?" Magika question them, making them pause to think.

"I think it's on the grand staircase, the one in the main lobby." Corruption told him, nodding to themselves, "Yeah, I'm sure it is. It's on the first landing."

The skeleton blinks- he noticed that the hallway was rather bright, he looks back at the glass door that leads to the balcony; the sun was shining and it looked like all the rain had dried up already.

"*It stopped raining I see." Magika comments pointing to the dry glass, he lets go of their hand suddenly and moving closer, seemingly to look outside.

"'Raining'? It stopped raining last night. It's been sunny all day today." Corruption explains to him as they follow him over, looking a little confused by his words, "Are you sure you're okay? You look a little pale."

But Magika wasn't listening, his attention was focus on the markings that were running down the glass almost like something... or someone had run their claws over them- it was also on the wooden frame both inside and out.

"*C-Corruption..." Magika says pointing out the markings to them, they came closer to look at what had caused the fear in his tone.

Slowly he follows the marking with his sockets, turning his body to do so, they went across the hallway walls, leading to the room they had just been in.


	7. The Clock

Magika watched Corruption run a hand on the markings that were embedded into the hallway wall. He trembled where he stood. The thought of knowing that something or someone had the intention of possibly killing him, made him tear up. Who could have done that in such a short amount of time? And most importantly why him? Still shaking in fear he forced himself to step closer to Corruption as he watched them further. Corruption eyes seemed to burn a deep red before returning to normal.

"Magika... are you sure you want to continue the game?" they shifted to look at him. A trace of worry and anger in their eyes.  
Somehow despite everything, he still wanted to proceed with the game. Corruption didn't seem phase with his answer. As if knowing that he would continue with the game they sigh.

  
"Okay... I respect your decision... just be careful okay? I might not be there to save you." Corruption smiled lightly at him showing him their understanding.

"I'll keep an eye out for anything that... looks odd."  
Magika smiled and gave them a big hug. He wouldn't know what he would do without them. Corruption happily returned the hug, before pulling away to Magikas dismay.  
"Well, we should get going now. Come I'll lead you back to the main area. " Corruption motioned for him to follow before advancing down the hallway. Magika not so far behind them.

  
Magika took notice that Corruption kept on glancing around the hallway. Desperate to calm them he decided to ask about the manor.  
"The Dream manor has four wings. The north wing is the main area, it's the most used wing out of all of the others." explained Corruption. Nodding Magika asked about the grandfather clock.

  
"Why can it be heard around the entire manor?" He asked curiously. How could a clock be heard throughout an entire manor?  
Corruption thought about it for a few moments before answering.

  
"Well... I'm not sure of myself. I think it's because it echos. Sorry if that doesn't help." They giggled before turning to look back ahead.

"Okay, we're here!" announced Corruption as they arrived at their destination.

"Thank you." Magika smiled at them appreciating their help.  
Corruption smiled before leaving Magika to attend their business. He should probably check the grandfather clock for the clue. Making his way down the spiral stairs, he looked around the grand clock. Searching for a possible clue. After minutes of searching, he frowned. Maybe someone already got it. It was possible. Magika looked up at the grandfather clock; its hand reflected the sunlight.

Wait a minute... the hands... they looked... off. He could put his finger on it. Making sure no one was looking he opened the glass case and reached for the long hand only to feel a piercing burn on his pointer finger. He quickly tore his hand away from the clock.

"Ow! Wha- b-blood?" A tiny trail of blood dripped onto the marble floor below him. Looking up at the hands of the clock. He realized that it wasn't a clock hand at all. The longer hand was a golden dagger and the shorter hand appeared to be a key of some sort. Magika reached towards the shorter "clock hand" before stopping. He couldn't just take the clock hands... someone was bound to wonder where the Grandfathers hands went.

Wiping his blood off of the longhand. He carefully shut the glass case before pulling out the notebook. Magika scribbled a quick note to himself to check out the grandfather clock later. Storing away the notebook he now had even more questions. Like how and why are the clock hand a dagger and a key? Heck! This entire manor was strange in fact. Just as he was about to pass the grandfather clock, he noticed a folded piece of paper on the ground.

  
"Could it be?" Swiftly picking up the paper he unfolded it. And to his delight, it was the next clue.


	8. Chapter 8

Magika did not read the clue straight away, instead, he moves up the stairs and out of the lobby area completely, to where he hears voices talking.

Walking through an open doorway he came into a room that appeared to music room- there was a couple of monsters hanging out by the windowsill, each had a piece of paper and seemed to be discussing the contents. 

The skeleton did not want to disturb them, so he went over to the piano and took a seat there.

The floor was titled with pale orange and yellow, the walls were much darker of the same colours- the walls also had lots of painting of musical instruments with monsters or humans playing them. There were real musical instruments dotted around the large room, with wooden chairs facing them.

Some other monsters were messing with them, trying to play and getting laughed good naturally at by their friends, when they failed. 

Magika felt a little better while in the room with some others, with that he opens the piece of paper fully and began to read:

[What has many keys, but can't even open a single door?]

Magika frowns lightly, then ponders over this riddle.

It seemed a little too easy.

And too... strange that he happened to come to this room and happened to sit in this place.

Because he was already sitting on the answer.

'Piano'

However... the skeleton glances towards the monsters chatting toward in the room; if he went to find the clue in front of them, and they did not have far as he was, then they could skip ahead.

So he waits.

An uneasy feeling washing over him, glancing around he notices one of those black skeletons from hidden in the deep shadows near the corner of the room- too far to tell which one and his tail was not in view to see the colouring of it.

One thing was for certain, Magika was being watched.

A thought appeared, what if it was them who caused what happened. There was something... otherworldly about them.

'*W-where's the other one?' Magika thought in worry, glancing around the room. When he looks back to the shadows that the black skeleton was gone.

Then he felt it.

Glancing to his left he cries out at the sight of purple eyelights.

Suddenly he could not move, his whole body was frozen.

Then it was all over.

"*Y-you?!" Magika gasps loudly, placing his hand on his sternum, "What do you want from me?"

"*Nothing." This twin answers dully, whom name he could not remember, "We want nothing from you, but your terror is nice."

"*T-terror?" Magika questions with a frown, "W-what do you mean?"

"*Tell me. If you could sleep forever... would you?" The dark twin asks him with mild interest.

"*What kind of question is that?" Magika wonders with a deep frown, "Sleeping forever...?"

"*Keep in mind. My brother and I... are nightmares." The purple-eyed twin hisses at him, his features became sharper, his socket went empty.

Everything went black.

Blinking the light came on...

It was in the middle of the day, how could there be a blackout?

Magika sees that the black skeleton had gone.

Bringing hand up to his skull, he rubs his temple.

Then gazes around, there was no one left in the room; he half wonders if the others saw the black skeleton.

Choosing to deal with this later the skeleton reaches into the piano and looks around for the piece of paper... then pauses when he sees it.

Up until now all the pieces of paper with the riddles on them had been white- this piece was black.

Reaching for it Magika carefully pulls it out and folding it, reads the words that were handwritten in red ink:

[Where the crows cry out in the heavens.]

"*This is a riddle? Right?" Magika questions as he stares at the words, he felt like he had seen them before... reaching into this loot bag he brings out the notebook he found, flipping it open he stares at the first words:

[Crows cry above.]

Similar but not the same.

Magika said there pondering over what this could mean- Corruption could have based this half of the game on these words. Meaning this notebook might be theirs. Also, the goat did mention that there was a limited number of clues depending on the round, this could merely be a sign he completed the first half. Or someone swapped the real clue for another one... that's why it's so different.

Magika's mind went back to that black skeleton with the purple eyelights- he could have changed it around when the blackout happened. Maybe even caused it. There had been a deep shadow surrounding him.

The skeleton places the clue inside the notebook and closes it.

The only way he was going to know if this clue was real, was to find where the crows were... or just ask someone.

Magika stand up placing the notebook away into his loot bag, then starts heading for the door. He decided to find out if there were any crows in or out the manor.


	9. The Dream Garden

Magika sat on the patio a slight Summer breeze passed by. It was mostly silent if you minus the melody the birds sang from the trees. Nibbling on a chocolate cookie that he slipped from the kitchen earlier he sighed. He hadn't had any luck on his search so far, so he decided to take a break from the game.

Looking across the garden he smiled softly. It was quite spacious, if he had to guess it was around 3 or 4 anchors. And to his delight, there were a lot of flowers and plants. Roses of many colors surrounded the patio he on. The colors differ in many colors as well red, pink, blue, white, purple, black (to his surprise), and ...  


"Is that a rainbow color rose?" Magika rubbed his eye sockets(?) before looking back at the rose. Nope, his eye sockets(??) weren't playing tricks on him. There was indeed a rainbow-colored rose on the rose bush. Magika was speechless. How- why was there a-  


"...I-I shouldn't even be surprised anymore. This whole manor is probably made by magic." Magika made his was over and picked the multi-colored rose to examine it. After confirming that the rose was indeed real and not fake he decided to store it in his inventory for safe keeping. It was quite pretty, and he wanted to save it. You never know. It might be useful later on.

After finishing his cookie he started with his search again. He took a longer break than he expected. Humming a small tune as he searched the garden for a crow, he couldn't help but notice how many flowers there were.

Before he got amnesia, maybe he planted all these flowers. He did like flowers. Maybe he could make a flower crown later. Suddenly he came across a feather. Unfortunately, it wasn't a crow feather. This feather was pure white and seemed to emit a warm aura. He wondered what type of bird this feather came from. Just as he was about to continue with his search he paused. Was someone singing? Magika listened closely to the melody trying to find the owner of the beautiful voice. They sounded... very sad and lonely. He didn't know why, but... it reminded him of himself. He... was lonely. But he had friends. Right? So he wasn't lonely... was he? The melody got louder as he got closer to the source.

"...." Magika slowed down just before the clearing. He...he probably shouldn't bother them. Turning around to leave he started to walk back when a loud crack rang out. Magika froze and slowly lifted his foot. A stick. He stepped on a stick. Magika started sweating when he realized the area he was in was silent. Which meant whoever was singing had stopped. Hopefully, he could get out before they found him.

"Hello?"

  
He spoke too soon damn it!  


"Is anyone there?" Magika sighed it was too late to turn back.  
Turning around he laughed nervously.

  
"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I- well I-I thought you sounded really pretty." Magika mentally kicked himself, as he was greeted with silence. "Ahhh! He made it too awkward!" Curse his communicate skills!"

  
"You...you think so?" The voice asked softly. Magika nodded as he finally entered the clearing.

It was a pretty simple small lake with buttercups in the surrounding area, but...

  
The mysterious figure took his breath away. To his surprise it was another skeleton monster. They wore a long white gown (possibly made out of silk judging from the fabric), a transparent white veil was adorned with a flower crown. But what really caught his attention was that fact that they had wings. Pure snow white wings. They looked like an angel to him.

Wait. Then maybe the feather he found in the garden earlier came from them.  
They smiled motioning for him to sit beside them, by the crystal blue lake. Magika carefully plopped himself on the ground by them fidgeting nervously. What should he say? He didn't know what to say. Tell her that he was technically spying on her? Yeah, that's not gonna look so good.

"So... you are Magika?" They softly spoke as they turned to him.

  
"Y-yes, I'm Magika. It's nice to meet you."

  
They smiled gently at him.

"I'm Marigold. It's nice to meet you too."


	10. Masking The Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Probably the longest chapter here

[Why?]

Was the words written on the note. 

Magika blinks.

Taking the note off of the wall, he studies he carefully, then turns it around to look on the other side. 

A loud bang above made him jump and he hurries down a couple of steps to the bottom and went under the staircase, then his back hits against a wooden wall. 

Turning he blinks at this, the walls in this area had been made of plaster. This was not a wall but some sort of cupboard under the stairs. 

There were small double doors. 

A sound of feet pounding him above lead him to reach for the doors to hide and as soon as he opens it he was meet with his own face- the noise stopped. 

Magika fell backward onto his rear and looks up to his face and blinks, it was a mask. A skeleton mask that looked eerily like his bone structure. 

It was on some kind of stand. 

Listening intently he rose up and crawls over to the cupboard, then climbs inside, closing the doors part half to continue listening to anything. 

The experience he had earlier that day came to mind and he became uneasy. 

Another sound came, making his gasp at the closeness of it, he looks around carefully trying to find the source of this noise. It was so close, so near, so much like rattling...

Magika realizes that this was his bones rattlings. ...

Forcing himself to stop he takes a deep breath and stares out one more listening. 

However, no sound came. 

So he creeps out and climbs to his feet. 

There was no more noise at all. 

Conscientiously he walks back to the stairs and looks up, the same board up wooden planks was in view, now in the dim lighting, he notices large piles. 

Gradually he starts to climb, taking one step at a time, treading warily in case he needed to run back down to the cupboard under the stairs. 

As he reaches the landing, he studies the large window, someone had to have used ladders to reach the top. 

Then he looks to the pile, wondering, and hoping, that this was what made the sound. Old piles in old buildings made weird sounds sometimes. 

However, the piles looked newer than the house; like they had been put in place after the building since he could see large cuts and breaks in the ceiling, walls and even the landing. If this had happened while building, then the piles would have been hidden in the walls. 

Magika moves his attention back to the piles, then went over and peers through one of the gaps and blinks. 

As he recalls, this servent door was right at the end of the building, all around this area was the garden. Even looking opposite of where he came from, he should still be able to see the garden. 

However, there was nothing...

Magika would not even see the side of the building and he was sure this section was not sticking out that much. 

And the outside looked like it was nearing dusk and not midafternoon like he knew it was- but, that was all he could see. The more he looked the more he realizes that there seemed to be no ground. 

Coming away he lowers himself down and blinkings through another smaller board gap, still no ground. It was almost like he was in the sky. 

Lifting himself up he stares in confusion at the boards. 

Shaking his skull, he decides to get out of this area as fast as he could. 

Spinning around he went over to the next flight of stairs and notices up at the landing there. Here he could see more piles on the wall at the top of the stairs. 

Taking a deep breath he began his climb.

There was a door on this landing, facing the next flight. 

This too was board shut. 

One plank going across the top, one plank across the center and one near the bottom. There was a note on this door. The edges were folded and it looked a had a hint of yellow from age- wandering over to it he blinks at the note...

[Keep Door Sealed- These boards are adoor'ned here for a reason.]

"*Okay..." Magika agrees to the unseen writer, who was no doubt laughing at their jokes. 

Stepping away he turns to face the next flight of stairs, he could see the windows on the landing was boarded up as well. 

Deciding to go a little more quickly now, he took two steps at a time and glances through the gaps once he reached the windows- since he was higher up, surely he would be able to see the ground now. 

No, it was the same here too. 

Once again nothing made any sense to him. 

Magika turns and glances towards the next flight of stairs, which was the last, one the landing he could see one door... however, given the placement of it, it seemed to lead outside perhaps on a balcony, since the door leading to the building should be on the other wall. 

Climbing these stairs too he glances at the wall that should lean him into the main building, it seemed that there was no building had been done there to suggest that there was ever any door, to begin with. 

Magika looks to the piles, then he looks to the landing's floor. There were yellow flowers in a vase. They looked similar to the one that was in Corruption's hair. 

Thanking about his friend made him with to see them and leave this cold dark place. 

Feeling braver he walks to the door. 

"*M-maybe this leads onto a balcony that leads to the main building?" Magika questions himself with a frown, "it's not like I was looking up when I run..."

Magika had not been thinking at all, he was just looking for the quickest way inside. 

Magika reaches for the handle and pauses. 

It was a golden handle. Much like the one he first came through. Stepping back he examines the door, it looked very much like the one he came through; he even recalls it having a silver handle on the other side, which was strange now that he stopped to think about it. 

"*Is this r-really the time?" Magika says to himself, he stepped forward and grabbing the handle, opening the door. 

It was a long corridor the bare walls, leading to a single door, it was too dark to see, there were no windows and the two overhead lights were dim. 

One light flickered and he steps back, completely unnerved. 

Anxiously he steps forward, it felt like the floor, walls and ceiling were going to cave in.

Gradually he makes his way in and came to a stop halfway through, glancing back at the open door- the other side had a silver handle. Turning around he looks to the door he was heading to, that had a gold handle. 

It looked much like the first door he came through and the last one. 

The door shut and the lights flicker and dim, making him cry out in shock and horror. 

Not wanting to see who had closed it, Magika rushes to the next door and about to grab the gold handle when it swung open itself. 

Magika stood there blinking at the scene in front of him... 

... he was what looked like the ground floor when he first came in. 

Stepping forward he peers inside and looks around. 

The door opens up closer to the staircase then before, but he was sure that this was the same passageway he was at the start. 

Gathering his courage he went through completely but left the door open, he glances under the staircase to see the cupboard doors were still open and that strange mask seemed to stare at him. 

It had blank sockets, he could see right through and yet, it felt like it was watching him. 

Moving away from then, he went straight up the staircase without delay this time, going to the window, which looked almost the same, there was something different about it but he was not sure what. 

Quickly he moved towards it and peeks through. The same view greeted him. An endless sky with no ground, looking like nightfall was starting. 

Pushing away from the boards, he turns and made his way to the next flight of stairs. 

Everything looked the same from this angle. 

With a deep shaky breath, he began his climb. His footsteps seemed louder than the first time he walked these stairs if it was the same; the manor was a tall building, but it was not this high. 

Upon reaching the top he recognized the note on the door. It was the same note with the same wording, the same yellow tinge. 

Without stopping to take that door, he hurries past it, moving quickly to the next flight of stairs, as he walks up he stares at the window. It looked the same, so he did not bother checking it this time and on reaching that landing, speeds up the flight of stairs. 

Where he was greeted with those yellow flowers once more. 

"*Just what is happening?" Magika says aloud and wished he had not, his voice bounces off the walls and was carried everywhere. 

He waits until it stops and then rushes past the flowers, heading for the door. 

There he grabs the golden handle, closes his sockets and took a deep breath. Then gathering his courage and determination, he opens his sockets and the door at the same time. 

Same corridor, those same bare walls, the same lights and that same door at the end, he could just about see the next golden handle on the door. 

Walking on he kept his spine straight and his chin up, shoulders back, ready for anything. 

When he reached the midway point he pauses and sure enough, the door shuts behind him and the lights flicker. 

Magika almost smiles at himself not crying out in surprise this time. 

"*Someone must be doing this." Magika says in a low voice as he comes close to the next door, he touches the handle fully expecting it to open... it did not and he opens it himself. 

Inside was the same staircase with the same cupboard under the stairs with the same skull mask just inside-

Magika froze. 

The stand with the mask on it had moved, it was now just outwards the wooden doors of the cupboard. 

He hears the creaking of the door closing behind him... did that happen last time. 

Magika did not stop, he does not want to know who was doing this, he just wanted to find a way out. One thing was for sure, whoever had control of this plain was very powerful to keep a living SOUL within. 

Magika ran up the first flight of stairs and halts on the landing. The wooden planks that had covered the windows... there were more of them, arranging them in a way that limited light came through. 

There was no point in checking the outside. 

Magika ran up to the now very dark stairs, to the next landing which thankfully had a light over the top of the door frame- he stops there to catch his breath, holding onto the railing, then glances at the not- 

The note was gone.

A loud distorted screech sounded, causing him to scream and cover his 'ears' as he looked around for whatever could cause this. 

Suddenly the door started banging from the other side, so hard that it moved outwards and the only thing had seemed to keep it in place, was the three planks of wood.

Magika gasps loudly and almost fell backward- the banging grew louder and more violent. 

He moves slowly down the stairs while still holding his 'ears', sockets never leaving the crashing door. 

Magika felt like he was about to scream out in terror. 

Quickly he took a couple more steps back and everything stopped abruptly. 

Magika stood there, mind and heart racing in sheer panic. 

Slowly he lowers his hands and fell upon the steps, he hands lend him up as he continues to stare at the door. 

Nothing but silence.

Magika let out a breath he did not know he was holding, letting his jaw just hang open, blinking back tears of fear and slight anger that someone would do this to another. 

Slowly he rose up, his bones began to rattle loudly when he did. 

Then he moves forward, keeping close to the railing rather than the wall which had the door. 

Rethinking everything, that noise had seemed to come from near him... maybe from behind that door as well. 

Whoever was in there, he hoped that they would stay there until he got out of this nightmare. 

As he moves on the landing, holding the railing, he makes it to the next flight of stairs, never taking his gaze off that door. 

Then he took one step, placing both feet on one step, before taking another and repeated this pattern until he got halfway up and spun around to run the rest of the way. 

As he reaches the next landing, he sees the next window. Again this was boarded up more, just like the one below. Passing it without a second thought, he reaches the last flight of stairs. 

One him he noticed this time, was the outside lighting seemed to darken as if night had finally fallen. 

Racing up these stairs he came to the last landing and stood in front of the flowers that looked like the ones in Corruption's hair and just stood, holding his hands close to his chest and forcing back to need to cry out. 

Magika sockets widen when he heard it. 

Coming from beyond the door was a deep echoing voice, almost as if it was being covered by something. The words of that voice were lost to him. 

A slight sob did escape his jaws this time but managed to get a grip on himself, knowing that if he started crying here then he might not stop, and he did not want to see whoever was bullying him to see him cry; he was determined to stay strong and get past this challenge with his skull held high. 

...but still... that voice that kept talking was disturbing. 

Then it stopped. 

It just ended. No warning or everything just finished in the middle of talking. 

Without the noise of that talking, all was heard was the rattling of his bones, much louder this time. 

Magika lowers his arms to his side, then started returning to the top of the stairs where he did this strange crab walk towards the door. 

Somehow he gained control over his rattling bones and listens intently to the door; he held his skull sidewards on it, daring not to touch it. 

No sound came from within, so taking a step back he grabs the golden handle and opens the door, jumping backward so far, that he hit his spine against the railing of the landing. 

It was that lone corridor once more. 

Flickering lights and bare walls.

Before he would think of his action, Magika hurries forward and went right inside. This time he did not even flinch when the door shut before him and the lights dimmed. Compare to that banging door below and that strange voice just now, this seemed nothing to be scared of. 

As he neared the next door the lights went off. 

And he felt like someone was standing before him. 

"*... _please_..." Magika begs the light and it came on, he sighs in relief.

Swiftly he went to the next door. 

Magika held his hand out to open it and it swung open on its own...

The first thing he saw was the stand with the mask. It was no longer near the cupboard under the stairs but against the wall where he could see it without peering around. 

Walking through Magika notices just how close the door was to the start of the staircase this time, almost right on top of it. 

It was a lot darker than before. Much darker.

Taking no note of the skull mask, he went right for the flight of stairs and looks into the darkness. Above the window of the first landing, was a dim light that had not been on before. 

As he got further up he hears the door before close softly. 

Reaching the first landing he stares at the lighting of the outside, which was closed off some more by boards. Seeing no point of trying them, he turns and hurries up the next flight of stairs. 

'*P-please no banging this time.' Magika thinks as he closes his sockets as he got to the top, he looks at the boarded door and sees no note stuck on it. 

Magika walks on this landing sideways, watching and waiting for any sounds that may come from it. When it did not, he continued on his way, moving to the landing with the next window. 

This one was not as board up as the last, some of the tops looked like had been ripped off. Glancing around the skeleton sees no sign of any broken planks. 

Pleased that nothing had happened this time, he looks to the last flight of stairs- he ran up them quickly as he could and came to a stop at the yellow flowers.

The glares at the door, which came across more of an angry pout.

Once more his gathers his bravery and marches to the door, firmly grabbing the golden handle... and nothing. The door was locked. 

Wiggling the handle Magika blinks... it was well and truly locked to him. 

He looks to the piles, he looks to the flowers, and then to the door... the only saving grace about this door was that it had a bright light over the top of it. 

Magika was not sure what to do with himself now, he had been so prepared to face something that facing nothing had thrown him. 

"*What do I do now?" Magika questions the darkness around him, looking to the tip of the window frame over the landing's railing. 

Slowly he starts moving, this time, going downwards. 

Magika took slow and steady steps just in case something jumped out or made a strange sound. 

He came down to the next landing, walks around and went down the stairs in the same manner; since it was darker on this level, he kept staring at the shadows. 

Lost and confused with no seemingly way him, he dully stares at the boarded door he was coming down to. 

The planks of wood burst off the door, hitting the floor loudly, then it seemed that the door was kicked with a loud thump- this shocked Magika so much that he finally screams and falls hard on the stairs, terror pulsing through his body. 

Magika instantly covers both his hands over his teeth, stopping his scream from echoing. 

And waits... the door merely swings silently open...

Curling up on the stairs in fear, he tries to stop the cries that were threating to escape. That had shocked him worst than the others for some reason. 

Uncurling him he glances down at the open door, there was a light coming from inside, much brighter than the dim lights above the windows and doorways. 

Grabbing onto the railing, the skeleton forces himself up but still leans against it and the wall now, staring at the open doorway. That when he heard it, a low booming sound coming from the distance.

It was like a giant creature taking steps as it walked. 

Magika waits, just hoping that the sound would past by. 

It went on and continued for the longest time, long enough for him to regain his composure and stand. 

It remained still, even when he hurries down the stairs and onto the landing. 

'*I-it's an open door, it might lead out of here.' Magika thought to himself, once again, hoping for this nightmare to end, 'what if this is a nightmare, and I'm asleep outside in the garden?'

Magika peers through the open door, a few steps directly inside was a wall, gingerly walking into the doorway, he looks to the right, another wall; then he looks to the left and was another doo-

No. This was a false wall with a space between it and the far wall. 

It was much lighter inside, the overhead light was much brighter than the ones on the staircases. 

Magika pauses to try and gather his thoughts- if this really was a then surely he could get control of it, it was his own mind. 

So closing his sockets, he willed the horrible distance banging to stop... it did not. 

With a sigh, he opens them once more and went inside. 

Then suddenly that the opening space left to the direction of the manor. 

With hope bubbling within him he hurries and looks around and was sadly disappointed. There were old wooden boxes stacked on top of one another, some close to him, just behind the false wall to the left, and some to the right but against the wall, they created a zig-zag path. 

Through the gap of the opening between them was an angle to see the wall, there was no door or anything that could lead to the manor. There did seem to be a note pinned there. 

Magika walks forward, going through the gap to see the note, begging that it was a clue on how to get out of this place. 

He began to read aloud the words of the note, all the while that booming went on:

[Why do you want to go back?

Why? Why go back? There’s nothing left.

It’ll just hurt you more.

This isn’t what you want?

Is something missing from here?

Tell me. What can I do so that you’ll stay.]

The words made no sense and did not seem to have anything to do with him or this place. 

Rereading the note he frowns.

"*Maybe it's a ghost that wants others to stay with it?" Magika says to himself, then turning to look at the ceiling, "M-M-Mr G-ghost, if you hear me, I'm alive! I don't belong to your world. S-sorry, can you let me out? T-this is not where I'm meant to be!"

The booming went on and he sighs once more, placing a hand on his chest and rubbing his sternum. 

Then he notices the old wooden chair, it looked very fancy, like it belonged to the office in the manor, with dark oak wooden frame and rich red cushion sew into it. There were also skill patterns that had been cut and crafted into the wood now that he looked closer. 

"*W-why is this here?" Magika questions, he had already guessed this was some sort of storage used by the staff or maintenance room judging by the shelf of tools behind the chair. 

Magika blinks, upon the shelf, was an old oil lantern. It was iron and part of its glass was broken, however, it was lit. The flickering flame inside was dancing with an unfelt wind. 

Moving forward he raising one leg and kneels it on the chair, then reaches for the lantern; he manages to grab the handle with his left hand and pulled it towards him, where it fell until it was hung by the handle. 

Thankfully he had some form of light to guard him through the darkness of the staircases. 

Magika turns the broken side towards him, to that when he walked, it would not cause it to go out. Then he switches it to his right hand and held his arm up so that his hand was above his skull and the lantern was in line with his vision. 

Then Magika starts moving back the way he came, through the boxes' path around the false wall. 

The booming was beginning to sound like a heartbeat to his ears, like the room itself was a living creature. 

As he walks around between the false wall and the first lot of boxes, was the stands with the skull mask. It had been hidden in the shadows but the light of the lantern had revealed it; there was a note attached to the bottom, hanging off the chin bone. 

[Dear Servants, due to the last night events, this section of the building has to be closed off. The reports of a shadowy figure standing by the windows have been looked into and we can confirm from many eyewitnesses that this the case. Please leave immediately.]

Magika takes a step back and looks around, he had passed the windows many times and had yet to see any shadowy figures. 

...the note had unnerved him, they did not mention what the 'events' was... then again the staff members would most likely have been aware.

Magika shakes his skull, this was becoming too much, he wanted to leave. 

Walking around the false wall he went slowly to the door, mindful of the lantern he held.

The booming halts, the door slams shut and the overhead lights go out, making him scream; he backtracks until his back hits the wall. Where he stayed making sound distressing cries, the light moves strangely on the walls since his hand was shaking so much. 

Panting hard he holds the lantern up and looks around him, to the false wall, the boxes, the note on the far wall- he half thought that the shadowy figure would jump from the darkness. 

Magika moves further inside and looks to the skull mask and then went quickly to where the chair was. Nothing was in here with him. After that, he quickly moves around the boxes, making his way to the door. 

On reaching it there was a low heartbeat making him back up and raising the lantern he looks all around, then came a static noise that kept jerking as if a tape was stuck. 

"*...oh please. Please stop! Why are you doing this?" Magika told them darkness looking around him in every corner, "Why?"

"* _Why_?" Came a lost voice that was barely heard over the heartbeat and static. 

The lights came on only not as bright as before, making the shadows stand out and him more aware of how many places someone would hide in this limited space. 

Then a soft crying, almost like a sob, it was a sad mournful cry which made Magika feel sorry for whoever wept, even under these frighting conditions. 

Suddenly he realizes that whoever it was, they were on the other side of the door. 

'*There's someone else trapped in this place!' Magika thinks and hurries towards the door, stopping at the silver handle he takes a deep breath.

The door became to bang and the handle starts knocking as if someone was trying to get inside. 

Suddenly the static sound seems to crackle and no longer caring for himself, he reaches grabs the handles and tries to open it, it would not move. 

He kept trying and trying. 

He moves back and kicks it the door, adding to the sound of banging that was still coming from the other side- his only thoughts were of helping that creature. 

Moving back he came to the wall once more, planning to run at it and kick it the door as hard as he could- it slowly opens with a sound creaking, the bangs and crying ending when it did. 

The heartbeats continued. 

It had opened very wide, allowing him to see the landing. 

No one was there. 

Magika had not even seen anyone run away from the door... yet the crying only ended when it opened and up until then, whoever it was had been crying on the other side. 

Taking a step forward he looks to the flight of stairs, then taking a few more steps until he could see the stairs leading down. 

Soon he was inside the doorway, holding on the doorframe with his free hand and raising the lantern and moving it slowly around him to take in the sight of all the landing. 

Magika moves out onto the landing, then without question, walks to the flight of stairs that lead up.

The low heartbeat sound did not bother him as much as the much louder ones had done. 

As he reaches the landing with the second windows, he glances at the boards, it was nighttime outside now... then remembers the 'shadowy figure' and looks around quickly. 

On seeing no one, he runs up the last flight of stairs. 

Magika slows at the yellow flowers for some reason, then hurries past them, grabbing the golden handle and almost smiles when it opens for him. 

On the other side was that long corridor once more and he runs in and went right to the other side, of course, the door he passed had shut and the lights went off. 

He did not mind as much with the light of the lantern in his hand. 

Magika touches the silver handle half thinking it would open for him, no, he had to turn it and open it himself. 

On the other side was the familiar scene of the bottom of the staircase that had the wooden cupboard doors under then.

The skull mask with its stand was missing. 

"*W-where's the mask gone?" Magika asks the air then realizes this was not important and hurries to the stairs... they were very close to the door now. 

Walking fast yet him quite running, he makes his way up the stairs, the lantern light flicker made him uneasy; he did not even pause to look at the window on the landing and went right to the next flight, moving at the same pace. 

Then he reaches the second level.

The boards were missing. 

Of course, he remembers them landing but did not remember what happened to them after that. However, now that he thought about it when he first came out, they had not been there.

Magika pauses at the door, wondering if he should open it and go inside. 

The bottom door had kept changing, going closer and closer to the staircase, who there was a chance that maybe the inside of this room would have changed too. 

It was at this point Magika noticed that he no longer heard the heartbeats, he had no way of knowing when those even ended. 

Reaching out to the golden handle, he grabs it and turns... it opens easily. 

Peering inside he sees the wall in front, the wall to his right and the false wall to his left. The lights were bright once again. 

Moving inside he walks to the opening between the wall and false wall, coming to those boxes.

He looks between the space of the false wall and the first lot of wooden boxes, the mask with its stand was there. There were no notes attached to it.

So he continues around to where the chair was, then looks to the wall where that note was. 

There was a new note, he reads it aloud.

"*'It now knows you are here.'" Magika reads in a fearful tone, "'do-do-don't stare into the Void. The Void will stare back. And don't look behind you.'"

Magika rattles slightly, fear and dread entering into his bones, he suddenly felt like someone was standing just behind him, lightly pushes against his spine. 

Taking a chance he steps backward, only hitting the air. 

Then he spun around and was greeted with the sight of wooden boxes. 

Wanting to leave this room quickly now seeing there really was no way out, he moves past the boxes and through the space of the false wall and wall, turning to see the open door. 

Remembering what happened last time he pauses for a brief moment, then taking a deep inwards breath and letting it out slowly, he held the lantern up and moves quickly forward. 

Right through the doorway without any difficulty. 

Magika looks back at the doorway, kind of surprise that nothing had happened. Then he realizes that the lights were now off in that room, sending it into complete darkness that even the glow of his lantern could not light it up. 

With a startled gasp, he turns around moves to the next flight of stairs and hurries up them, walking fast but keeping his pace steady as not to shake the lantern around in his hand so much. 

Nearing the top of the stairs, the skull mask and its stand held from the ceiling and shatters in front of him on the landing, causing him to cry out and fall against the wall and railing. 

Magika stood there for a moment, just staring at the broken mask which looked so much like his face, then to the window. 

Looking up he tries to see where it came from and if there was anything else there. Then looks behind him to see if anything was there, the door was still open and the lights were now on, shining upon the landing below. 

Quickly he moves up the stairs and carefully walks past the remains, looking down on them as he went, that strange static sounded, making him up and look up and around him. 

On seeing nothing he went to the next flight of stairs and rushes up, but caring that the lantern was moving back and fore, flickering with his speed. 

On reaching the top he went by the yellow flowers and went straight for the door, grabbing the handles he opens it and as soon as he did, the first overhead light into the corridor smashes; glass rains down. 

That made him halt all movement. 

It had scared him. 

Glaring with tears in his sockets, he straightens himself and moves forward, determined not to let that get to him. 

Marching to the middle of the corridor he waits for the door to slam behind him as it normally does at that point. 

Sure enough, it did. 

And he continues. 

Magika looks up and eyes up the overhead light that was still working, wondering if that was going to break as well. Then hurries under it, grabbing the silver handle, turns it and opens the door.

Magika screams and steps back.

Right as he opened the door, the skull mask and its stand were on the other side- almost felt like it was staring at him. 

Rattling loudly, Magika quickly moves forward and carefully moves around the mask, not even bothering to check under the staircase and headed to the stairs.

As he reaches the first landing with the windows, he hears that low heartbeat again. 

Quickly he moves past the windows and hurries up the next landing to the second level. 

The door was shut. 

Standing in front of it opens by itself and scratching sounds came along with those static ones, going inside the overhead light here breaks as well, he had been standing directly under it this time and jumps back. 

Holding up his lantern he stares into the darkness, then heads towards the space between the false wall and wall. 

"* _YOOU_!" A deep voice hisses at him, making him look around in fear, darkness there and nothing more. 

Swiftly he darts between the wooden boxes and fell into the chair, sitting there for a moment, he lowers his hand and set the lantern on the broad armrest. 

There was an odd sound, almost like someone was trying to rip someone open. 

Looking towards the wall, he notices a new note and leads over to see. 

[Why?]

"*'Why?' Why what?" Magika utters out in a low tone, then looks around him. 

Then came the crying. 

It was not the same one as before, the sorrowful one, this was bitter crying filled with loss. 

And it came from everywhere. 

Magika sat frozen in place, just listening to the cries. 

Reaching up he touches his cheek, he was crying for that creature. 

Wiping away the tears on his sleeve, he grabs his lantern and starts moving once more, going through the boxes and space. 

Magika pausing by the wall that faces the open door, then moves forward, holding his lantern higher. The crying follows him wherever he went, it always seemed to be coming from just behind him. 

He dared not look around.

Quickly he went up the stairs, heading to the next landing with the second windows, he looks upwards to the ceiling. Nothing fell down this time and he went by without any issue. 

The final flight of stairs, he hurries up them, reaches the third level and the yellow flowers. He glances their way this time, hoping that the thought of his friend would give him hope he needed to get through this. 

Going to the door, it opens itself and he went the- he halts in his tracks. 

No lights were on, the only source of light was coming from his lantern. 

With a deep breath, the skeleton moves forward into the corridor. The crying was so loud that he missed the sound of the door shutting... did it even shut?

Magika reaches the other door and pauses.

Somewhere in the sound of crying, someone had spoken. 

"*I'm sorry." Magika told whoever this was and opens the next door. 

The skeleton did not even jump at the sight of the skull mask there, it was off to one side this time, but right in front of the door. 

The door did not open fully this time. 

Walking inside the first time he noticed was that there were three masks at the top of the stairs, on the first landing, all with their stands. This was when he noticed that they seemed to be glowing slightly. 

Going through the doorway he looks behind the door, wanting to see what had stopped it from opening it all the way... there was another skull mask with its stand there. 

Going up the stairs fast he stares at the mask, these two felt like they were watching him. The crying was beginning to drive him mad, it was neverending. 

On the other side of the window, was yet another mask starting at him. 

Turning he moves to the next flight and looks up. Another mask on the final step, looking down at him. 

Gripping the lantern he hurries up and carefully moves around the stand. 

The crying continues and if he did not have this lantern he would have surely used both of his hands to cover his 'ears'. 

He looks to the door of the second level, where that crying had started. 

Opening the door he peers inside. 

It was dark inside and surprisingly, no masks.

Going inside he went directly to the left, then he gazes down the small space between the false wall and wooden boxes. This time, no mask was there. 

Then he quickly hurries through the boxes and came to the next note.

It read:

[Something is missing...

Something's not right...

What’s wrong here?]

On reading it silently, he turns right around and went the way he came, the crying was really starting to get to him now. 

As he passes the false wall and wall gap, he hears a voice but again could not make out the words. 

Then passing the doorway and going onto the landing, he looks ahead as he goes up the next flight, at the top was another mask on its stand. 

Choosing to pay no mind to it, he moves faster and reaches the top, moving by it carefully as not to touch it. Then glances to the window, he moves on, turning to the last flight and going up them at the same pace. 

Magika halts. 

The light that was above the last door was now red. 

Shaking his skull he moves on, pushing his fear and panic inside, he could now barely think with the endless crying that followed him. 

Magika stops at the yellow flowers, thinking of his friend once more, then hurries to the door. 

This time he had to open it himself, on swinging the door open, he sees that the lights were here too. 

Fearful of something happening, he runs fast, reaching the other door in record time- he thought he heard a voice shouting from the distance. 

On opening the door himself, he notices the masks are gone from everywhere. 

And he went to the bottom of the stairs and looks up... the light above the window was red. 

The crying continued. 

The skeleton already wanted to tell them to be silent, however, they seemed so sad that it did not seem fair. 

Going up the stairs a little slower than before he carefully holds his lantern. 

As he almost at the top when he let out the loudest scream and had to slap his hand over his jaws. 

Standing on the landing, on the side that was opposite the next flight of stairs, was a tall black figure with glowing red eyes. It turns its head and seems to stare at him and then looks to the looks to the stairs. 

It just continues to do this all the while Magika stood there, trying to get his panic that was raising under control. 

'*Will it attack me?' Magika thinks unmoving from his place, lowering his hand and then slowly leans on the railing. 

It was not moving, other than the head. 

Slowly he creeps along the walls, silently begging the creature not to harm him in any way. 

On reaching the top, it ran!

Up the stairs. 

Yet this shocked Magika enough to yell out in alarm. 

Taking a deep breath, he quickly moves onto the landing and goes around to stand at the bottom of the next flight of stairs. Again the light above the door had turned red. 

And the door was open. 

From where he stood Magika would see that these lights were also red. 

Not seeing the creature in sight, he moves upwards, with only the sound of crying filling his 'ears', drowning out any noise his footsteps made.

Reaching the landing he moves to the door without stopping, going inside he sees nothing so continues-

The black creatures were in the small gap where the skull mask normally, its red glowing eyes stared at him. 

Magika screams and falls against the walls, never taking his sockets away from the black figure. Which then just vanishes. 

That crying went one. 

And Magika wanted to join them. 

From where he leaned, he sees another note through the boxes and numbly moves towards it. 

He came to a stop in front of it and just stared blankly at it for a moment. 

[Who are you?]

"*I am Magika." Magika told the darkness and the crying stops. 

At last. 

Dully he stares around at the red lighting and starts to moves once more, slowly making his way out of this room. 

Of course on looking up the next flight of stairs, he sees that the light above the window had, of course, more red lighting. 

Quickening his pace up the stairs once more, he turns and hurries up the next flight and came to stop in front of those yellow flowers, just staring at them. 

How long he stood there just staring he did not know, however, he finally moves and heads to the door, grabbing the red handle. Then opening it he walks inside. 

The lights were normal. 

Halfway through the door shut behind him and the light flickered. 

Then he continues on his way, he reaches the next door and took hold of the handle and taking a deep breath, opening it. 

The skull mask with its stand was back under the stairs. 

Moving to the stairs he looks to the windows, the light above was normal, if only a little brighter than he remembers. 

Holding his lantern up high he ran at full speed up the stairs, onto the landing, around to the next flight and up those. His footsteps echoed loudly throughout the whole area.

The lighting was normally above the door and the door itself was shut.

Taking hold of the black handle, he opens it and steps inside, heading right for the gap to take him to-

The boxes began to move. 

The floated up into the air and shook violently, a rumbling could be heard. Magika backtracks and could only watch as this happened; his back hit the wall-

The lights went up. 

Every single light source was gone. 

Everything was pitch black. 

Even the light lantern had just switched off. 

The rumble stops and the lights came back on. 

Turning he sees that the wooden boxes had fallen, blocking the normal route he took to get to the note, which he could see. 

Glancing around himself, he turns back to the wall where the note is. Then making a choice, moving towards it, he climbs carefully over the boxes in fear that his lantern might drop and set the wood on flames. 

On the other side, he had to twist around to set his legs down on the floor. 

Turning to the wall he moves closer, then pauses to stare at the now broken chair, before looking back to the paper on the wall. 

[What are you?]

"*I'm a skeleton monster." Magika answers the question, then turning he climbs back over the boxes and twists in order to place his feet on the floor and then moves to leave this room. 

On leaving the room he notices something out of the corner of his socket and jumps back, turning to look at the same time. 

It was a skull mask and its stand. This skull mask was broken but was held together for some reason. 

Magika did not want to know the reason and went to the next flight of stairs, the staircase looked dark once more, the light above the window was not on. 

The world swifts and he is standing in front of a door with a golden handle. 

It had no walls to hold it up, but there were walls either side of him. 

A mask on its stand was next to him. 

Glancing behind he sees a black wall. 

Turning back to the door it swung open without a sound. 

Magika moves forward and it felt like gravity had increased and that he was moving through water. 

The corridor beyond the door was long and he could not see the end. Walking forward a skull mask appears, this one with a note attached to it. 

[Who are you?]

"*Magika." Magika told the darkness and moves on, even though he was walking upon the tiled floor, his footsteps never made a sound. 

He came to another door that appeared out of the darkness. 

It opens for him and he passes through it. 

The corridor here turned left. But at the turning was another mask with another note. 

Stepping forward, he came to stand in front of the mask and read the note.

[What are you?]

"*A skeleton." Magika said firmly with a nod, then turning the corner and peers down into the darkness of this next corridor. 

It there was a long black corridor, even the light for the lantern did not seem to help. 

Walking forward he hears the sound of that heartbeat. This time it seemed to be coming from right behind him. 

Daring not to look, the skeleton moves onwards into the darkness, just listening to that noise. 

A loud buzzing and hissing came on suddenly, making him jump and cry out in shock- it sounded like someone trying to tune a radio but was only getting static. 

Panting hard he calms himself as the static dies down.

Then he tries to quicken the pace yet it was very hard to do so when his bones felt so heavy.

Moving down the corridor, it turned off to the left. 

Turning, he sees the corridor, it was not as dark as before and there was a mask in front of a door. A note was here too. 

[Why are you here?]

"*To unearth my lost memories." Magika explains to the darkness and moves forward, the door opens for him as he nears. 

A long dark corridor with seemingly no end. 

There was a mask above five steps ahead of him. 

Again with a note. 

As he nears he hears that static sound behind him, alongside the heartbeat. 

In front of him, another door comes into view, he paused to read. 

[-Was this world not good enough?]

Blinking Magika frowns, not understanding this question. 

So he did not even try to answer and moves on. 

The door opens for him. 

There was a mask on its stand without a note. 

The corridor turns to the left. 

He walks on and stops at the sight. 

The stand's base was on the wall, its pole came out almost at socket level to him, the mask was now sideways. There were a couple of masks on the broken mask beyond this, the stands looking like they had been throw harshly to the floor. 

The corridor turned off the left but continued right away from that, meaning he was still going in that direction. 

Hurrying forward, all he would he was his breathing, his footsteps, and the heartbeat. 

However, it seemed that the more he went along this now long corridor, the easier it was getting to move freely once more. 

A mask on a stand was in front of him, without a note. 

He quickly went to go past it when it blinks making him halt and stare at it. 

It blinks again and he runs. 

The corridor he ran down was long and dark, the air around him seemed misty on top of that. 

Then the black figure comes out of the darkness, with glowing red eyes, coming at him at an alarming speed and he screams, dropping his lantern making it go out, leaving him into complete darkness as he falls onto the floor. 

The lights came on and he was in the storage room on the second level, next to the wooden boxes that were once again, stacked on top of each other. 

"Magika?" Corruption's voice calls from somewhere, making him raise up, he turns to the where the gap space should between the false wall and true wall and frowns. 

The false wall went across the whole way, trapping him inside. 

Standing up he went over and touches the false wall, then looks around, there was no other way out of this place other than the false wall. 

"Are you sure you saw him come in here?" Corruption's voice asks someone loudly, he realizes that they were right on the other side. 

"*Corruption!" Magika calls out loudly, hitting against the false wall, the only light was the lantern which seemed to be in one piece. 

"Magika?! Magika where are you?!" Corruption calls out to him, he heard them speaking to someone.

"*Here!" Magika shouts, slamming his fists against the false wall. 

"*I'll get him out." Came a voice, it sounded like one of the twins, "stand back!"

Magika quickly goes back and dusk behind the boxes, the false wall exploded in, sending bits of plaster everywhere. A large hole was made. 

Glowing red sockets stare through- purple eye lights. It was Sleep Paralysis. 

"*come here. I'll pull ya through the rest of the way." Sleep Paralysis told him, his voice dark as ever, seemingly uncaring. 

Magika comes around and reaches the false wall, Sleep Paralysis struck his upper body through the hole he made and grabs Magika under the armpits, lifting him up. 

"*ya heavier than ya look." Sleep Paralysis as he brings him closer, Magika had no choice but to grab the black skeleton around his neck as he moves backward, taking both through the hole. 

On the other side, Sleep Paralysis lowers him down and bends over until Magika feet touched the floor. 

"*And you're taller than you look." Magika utters out numbly, pulling away from the other skeleton. 

Right away Corruption pushes Sleep Paralysis making the black skeleton stumble, then pulls Magika into their arms. 

Magika quickly returns his friend's hugs, the nightmare was over.

At last, he losing strength in his legs and begins to fall, Corruption cries out in alarm and falls with Sleep Paralysis coming forward, catching them both. 

"*Moron." Sleep Paralysis slaps at him, with a dark glare, it did not look as bad as before, perhaps what had just happened. 

With a small smile, Magika closes his sockets, drifting off to sleep in his friend's arms. 


	11. Tea and Sweets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Corruption has a cup of tea

Cold... it was so cold. Where was he? Magika tried to make sense of his surroundings only to be greeted with nothing but darkness. Why was it so dark? 

"Lonely... so lonely..." That wasn't his voice. Was someone with him? Magika tried to find the speaker but to no avail. Suddenly he felt someone tug on his sleeve. Looking down, he saw a figure crying next to him. 

"Who...?" began Magika as he acknowledged the other's presence. 

"You'll stay with me won't you?" The monster let out a shaky laugh as the grip on his jacket tightened. 

"W-what? I..." Magika tried to pull his arm away from their grip. Who was this monster? What did they want from him? Wasn't he just with Corruption and Paralysis? 

"You won't leave me right?" The monster pulled themselves until they were face to face with the other.

"I..." Magika voice clogged in his throat(?) he couldn't seem to speak anymore. The monster suddenly hugged him tightly, to where he couldn't breathe. 

"Ah... p-please ngh-! l-let go-" He couldn't see. He couldn't breathe. Why...? Was everything always this dark?

.

.

.

"...w-where...?" Magika slowly sat up on the bed and glanced around. He was back in his room. How did he...

"How did I... get here?" He felt so drained... shifting to look at the bedroom window Magika confirmed that it was still around the evening. Magika racked through his brain(?) trying to recollect how he got here.

The staircase... the masks... the crying... the flower... Marigold... Magika gasp as everything came rushing back to him. That's right! Corruption and Paralysis had got him out from the storage room! Magika looked around the room again to see if they were there, but... 

"Where are they?" He was certain that the purple twin didn't like him that much... so why did they help him? Did... did Corruption ask for their help? He was sure that Corruption held something against the twins from the occurrence that happened earlier. Maybe... maybe he assumed wrong. Magika held his head as he felt a headache forming. All these questions were giving him a headache. 

"Maybe I should lie down?" thought Magika as he turned over. Surely the headache will go away if he slept it off right? But... the game... if he slept now, who knows how many hours he had until the witching hour. He just wanted to rest now. He just felt... he felt so drained. 

*Knock Knock*

Magika yellow eye lights turned towards the grand oak door. Who could it be knocking at his door? Could it be Corruption? He hoped so.

"Come in." Magika called out towards the visitor. The oak door opened to reveal a skeleton monster. They wore a black dress that came down towards their knees, and upon their head was a black veil that was adorned with blood-red roses. They also wore high knee high heels. Huh... so there are other skeleton monsters; besides the twins. They wore a blank expression as they entered the room, which quickly vanished as their golden eye lights landed on Magika. 

"Oh! Magika, how are you feeling?" They pulled a chair next to his bed before gracefully sitting on the chair; a happy expression worn on their face. 

"O-oh! I-I have a headache, but otherwise, I'm doing fine." Magika replied to the skeleton monster. A concerned expression replaced the warm smile on their face as they brought a hand up towards their chest. 

"... I see... I believe I have some painkillers in my pocket..." They fished for the "painkillers" in their dress pocket. 

"Ah! I found it!" The skeleton pulled out a bottle of painkillers from their pocket. Twisting open the cap they poured two pills onto their gloved hand.

"Let me go get some water for you." The skeleton set the pills onto the wooden nightstand as they lifted themself up from their seat.

"I'll be right back!" They told him as they slipped out of the master bedroom. 

"Wait-...." The skeleton was now gone. Magika guessed that they went off towards the kitchen. He supposes that he will have to ask for their name later when they came back. 

.

.

.

Corruption took another sip of their tea their eyes never leaving the purple skeleton that sat across them. Paralysis stared at Corruption in return. 

"... Out of all the people you could have asked for help. You picked me." He stated blankly. 

Corruption set down their teacup and sighed. Honestly, they didn't know why they went to him for help. Sure they didn't really like each other, but that didn't mean they despised the other.

"Well... I doubt that REM Sleep would help me." Corruption unwrapped their chocolate bar and broke off a small piece.

"Want one?" Corruption held out the broken chocolate piece out towards the other. Paralysis looked at the chocolate piece and frowned. 

"I'm not a fan of sweets." He replied. Corruption popped the chocolate into their mouth; munching contentedly as Paralysis finally took a sip of his tea. The tea wasn't all that bad he guess. If he remembered correctly... it was Golden Flower. 

"So... what brings you-" Corruption halted and turned towards the corridor. An unhappy expression on their face. Paralysis also turned towards the direction. Someone was... humming? A skeleton came into view their golden eye lights staring back at them. They smiled at the sight of the two which only widen when they noticed Corruption.

"Oh, how pleasant it is to see you again Corruption." 

The golden flower in their hair started to turn black; as well as their hair. Paralysis watched the two in interest. These two seem to know each other.

"You..." Growled Corruption "How dare you... to show your face to me after what you did..." Their eyes burned a blood-red as they slowly got up from their seat.

The skeleton laughed warmly at Corruption's rage.

"Are you still angry about that?" They spun around as children laughter filled the halls. Paralysis narrowed his eyes at the monster. Whoever this was... was dangerous. Very dangerous.

Corruption clenched their fists before letting out a sigh. They shouldn't lose control of their emotions... they had to calm down. Corruption calmed down their magic before turning to the purple twin to shake their head. It would be best to not attack the other. 

"...I'm still mad...No. I'm furious... but you... you are not worth the fight." 

The skeleton chuckled in amusement as they stepped closer to Corruption. They beamed at their old friend. Oh, they did believe they would get on great terms again. They wouldn't want to lose one of their first friends...

"Well... I do hope we can chat together later."

.

.

.

Magika flipped through another page occupied by the photo album. He came to a photo that caught his eye. It appeared to be a group photo, and the background seemed to be a ballroom? He wasn't sure, but it resembled to be one because of how grand it was. 

"Is there a ballroom here? If so... I want to check it out." Thought Magika as he went back to observe the photo again. In the photo were seven skeleton monsters huddled together in the shot. They all wore gorgeous dresses of different lengths. In the photo, he wore a very light dawn-tinted gown that had three layers and many ruffles. He was smiling like he always did in the photos, but... he still looked lonely. Closing the photo album he slid the book back into his bag and sighed. How long had it been since the other left? He wasn't keeping track of the time. Well, his headache had gotten better, but it was still there.

*Knock Knock*

"I guess they are back." Magika straightened himself up a little before letting them come in. 

"Sorry to keep you waiting. I got distracted." In their hands was a silver tray with a glass of water and some snacks. Did they get... snacks for him?

"O-oh you didn't have to get me snacks!" They were being too generous to him! They merely shook their head as they gave him a glass of water. 

Magika thanked them before taking the glass and popping the two pills into his mouth and swallowing them. 

"Thank you." He was feeling a bit better now that he took the pain killers. Wait. Their name. He didn't know their name yet!

"Um... I never caught your name..." The other seemed surprised for a few seconds before chuckling. Magika smiled a little. 

"Oh, silly me! I didn't even tell you my name!" They giggled a bit more before answering his question.

"My name is Void. I do hope we get to know each other better." 

Magika smiled at the other and nodded.

"It's delightful to meet you. I would introduce myself but... I presume you already know who I am." Void and Magika both giggled at his response. It was fun to have someone to chat with and laugh with. Though he quietly hoped that Corruption could join the duo in the conversation. But they were probably busy at the moment. 

*Knock Knock* 

Could it be...?

"Magika? Are you in there?" Came a familiar voice. Magika brightened up at the voice.

"Y-Yes! I'm here! Come in!" He was eager to see Corruption again. He missed them so much! Corruption opened the door and saw... well Magika... and Void. The rage that was starting to go away came back up. They wanted to scream at the darkly dressed skeleton. Corruption wanted Void out of their sight, but they pushed the anger bubbling in their soul. Forcing a smile on their face as Corruption entered the bedroom. They didn't want to trouble him about their behavior. He seemed so content at the moment. 

"Hi, are you feeling better now Magika? You really frightened me back there." Corruption stood next to Void who seemed very pleased by the small action. Magika nodded happily. He was feeling much better now after taking the pain killers. 

"I'm sorry that I worried you so much." Corruption shook their head in denial.

"No, don't apologize! I'm more concerned about what you were doing in that part of the area."

Magika hummed in thought. He there to find a way back into the manor... he was gonna tell Corruption about... Oh! That's right! How could he forget about Marigold?! 

"I-I well... I went into the garden to find a crow for the riddle, and..." Corruption and Void listened intently to the story that their friend was telling them about. How Marigold turned into a statue and the staircase and masks.

After finishing his story Magika looked up at the two in hopes that they would believe him. Void tipped their head to the side a small smile on their face; while Corruption looked deep in thought. It was too quiet... did... did he do something wrong? Did they not believe him? 

"I-I'm sorry..." 

Corruption shook their head furiously at that apology. They didn't mean to upset him!

"No! No need to apologize to me, friend! I believe you!" Void watched the duo from their seat as they hummed a small tone.

"You... you do?" Magika asked unsurely. Corruption nodded their head. 

"Yes, I do believe you. Peculiar things have been happening in that part of the manor for a while now." Magika smiled softly. They believed him... he was so glad. Tears gathered at the corners of his eye sockets, causing Corruption to panic again.

"Magika?! Please don't cry!" What should they do? Did they make him sad? That wasn't what they want! They were trying to make him feel better! 

"What should I do?" Corruptions' mind screamed at them as they tried to figure out what to do. Suddenly they felt themself be engulfed in a warm hug. Magika was hugging them tightly. Gradually Corruption returned the hug. What else could they do? 

"I... I just missed you..." Feeling Corruption hug him back only made him hug the other tighter. The loneliness that he felt while he was trapped in that part of the manor had gotten to him. It felt like he trapped in there for hours. He... he didn't want to let go... not yet.

"Magika?" He shook his head.

"I... I don't want to let go just yet." He whispered to them. 

Void consumed the last of their biscuits before getting up. It seems that they had some business... to attend too. 

"I'm sorry for interrupting but I have to go somewhere. I'll see you guys later." And with that said Void left the two in the room. 

.

.

.

"You feel better now?" Corruption asked him a worried expression on their face. Magika took another sip of his water and nodded.

"Y-yeah... I feel a lot better now. Thank you." Placing down the glass he wiped away the last of his tears. God, he was such a cry baby. Corruption fidgeted with their heart locket. 

"I'm glad..." they whispered. Letting go of the locket Corruption pulled out a black card with white cursive letters on it. Magika gasp at the sight. That was! Corruption held out the riddle for him waiting for him to take it.

"That's-! Oh no. I can't take that." Magika shook his head. 

"You dropped this after you passed out. It's yours." Corruption gently grabbed Magikas' wrist and put the clue into his hand. Magika stared down at the tiny card in his hand. 

"Thank you so much!" Corruption had helped him so much. He didn't know how to thank them. Corruption smiled. 

"Well. I wish you luck. I have to go meet someone. I'll see you then." Corruption waved goodbye to Magika and left the skeleton in the room. He was a bit sad at their departure, but... he couldn't force them to stay with him. He felt... lonely again. He didn't know if he could stand any more loneliness at the moment. 

"I guess that I'll have to continue with the game now..." Magika began to read words written on the card. 

[ _I am a feeling expressed by words. Truthfully told by few, lies from many. I can cause the greatest happiness or the deepest sorrow. Yet one still comes back tomorrow. What am I?_ ]

Magika stared at the card a blank expression on his face. How... how was he... 

"What kind of riddle is this?!" Sure he expected the riddles to get harder, but what kind of feeling causes happiness and sorrow at? 

*Ding* 

Magika froze. What... was that? Now on edge, he looked around the room. Everything looked normal. Nothing was out of place. The wardrobe was undisturbed, the desk was still in its place, his bag remained on the floor undisturbed, and the floating stars were- wait...

"Floating stars...?" Around him were three floating stars that floated passively next to him. Magika stared at the floating stars which hovered passively in their place. 

"..."

"..."

"..."

Magika slowly raised his hand and lightly poked one of the stars.

*Ding*

Magika then let out a shriek. 


	12. Descendants of Nightmares

Magika steps back from the three stars, staring at them as they continue to bob up and down as if trying to gain his attention. 

The stars were in three colours, one yellow, one red and one pink. They changed to different hues of these colours. 

"*W-what is it that you want?" Magika questions them, trying to keep his voice calm, after what happened with before he was not sure what to make of anything.

Magika hears a voice and the stars zoom off into a darkened part of the room, lighting it up. The skeleton let out a cry and stepping back, his legs hit the bed and fell onto it. 

It was REM Sleep!

A REM Sleep that looked less than pleased, the flickers white around him was moving faster and he was glaring at the stars that circled his skull. 

Reaching up he smacks out away, making it flicker dimly for a moment. 

"*Stop!" Magika cries out, raising to his feet and taking a step forward only to pause when he see that REM Sleep had come towards him fast, so fast that it was nothing but a blur of colours. 

"*Hi! Enjoy your nap?" REM Sleep asks sounding sweet but his expression was mad, "That dumb Brother of mine! Ruins everything!! Takes away my fun! Sleep Paralysis does this all the time! So lame!"

Magika shook his skull, trying to take in all that was said- how had it gone from asking about his nap to complaining about his brother?

"*M-my nap went well? I still have a bit of a headache, but it's fading slowly." Magika told him kindly, stepping back and sitting down. 

On seeing this REM Sleep drops to his knees and sat on the floor, shoulder back and spine straight. 

"*Yeah... but what about my nightmare?" REM Sleep pouts dramically, "I worked hard on that! And you have not even commented on it! I work to _mask_ it so my brother would not even sense it! Haha!"

Magika once again tries to think what he meant, he spoke very quickly, which was much different from Sleep Paralysis slow dark haunting voice. 

However... there was something in the way he said 'mask' that sent alarm bells ringing in his mind. 

And stars were still buzzing around him, he kept trying to slap them away, the third one had come back with to join the other two. 

"*...REM Sleep... may I ask..." Magika began slowly, if he was wrong then he would be insulting this monster.

"*Yes~" REM Sleep purrs out and slaps the star again, causing him to grin boldly. 

"*Was it you?" Magika questions him looking at him with sad orbits, "Was it you who attacked me?" 

"*Haha! Ping dong! We have a winner!" REM Sleep says with a laugh, "I'm surprised Sleep Paralysis hasn't noticed yet! He keeps nagging me to tread carefully! Worrier! Needs to relax!"

"*I don't get it... why would you do this to me?" Magika asks him softly, feeling sorrow rather than fear enter their heart. 

"*Ugh! I'm not doing anything! Get lost!" REM Sleep snaps at the stars, then turning to Magika, "Can you get rid of them? I ain't doing to do anything! I want to monologue here! And enjoy myself while I do it!"

"*What?" Magika says now completely lost.

"*The stars! Get your little pests away from me!" REM Sleep growls at him then his tail slammed hard against the floor, causing him to jump, " **_or else i'll remove them myself._** "

Magika blinks while tilting their skull, "*I don't understand..."

"*Your stars! They are from your magic!" REM Sleep growls darkly, trying to hit them, "funny how they could not protect you from my realm before! Bet they're trying to make it up to you! Ha!"

"*My magic?" Magika says looking at the stars, then holding out his arms, "C-Come here!"

The stars went right over to him and cuddle into his arms. Magika smiles and hugs them close, feeling a little confident now that they were close to him. Turning to REM Sleep who was sighing in relief, he waits for whatever he had to say for himself.

However, they merely had a strange staring contest. 

"*W-Why did you attack me!?" Magika questions loudly. 

"*...Well~ Technically! I did not!" REM Sleep told him proudly, "But yes! I gave you the nightmare! One of my best!"

Magika stares at the happy looking black glitching skeleton, not knowing what questions he needed to ask to get to the truth. 

"*You s-sent me a n-n-ightmare? But why?" Magika questions him, starting to lose his confidence, then the stars brighten and he smiles his thanks.

"*To test you!" REM Sleep announces, he raises himself up with his tail and then sat cross-legged in the air like that, holding onto his knees. 

"*I-I don't understand! Please explain!" Magika asks him with a little bit of a cry, wishing Corruption was here with him, feeling that they would know what to say and do. 

REM Sleep took a deep breath and closes his orbits, on opening them he grins. 

"*My brother and I travel through the Omni Void, searching for a Multiverse for us to dwell in!" REM Sleep explains looking very happy, his grin so bold that it was closing his lower part of his orbits, "One without a ERROR, without a INK!" he spat that last word out like it was a foul taste, "I want to be a Supervillain! However! In order for my dream to come true! I need a Superhero! A Supervillain is only as good as the Superhero!"

REM Sleep frees his legs and rushes to the bed, making Magika startle at the suddenness of it. The tall black skeleton was leaning over him, holding his chin up in their yellow/black fingers, forcing him to star at those dark yellow eyelights and red sockets. 

"*I have searched and searched!" REM Sleep growls at him, "Do you know how hard it is not to find a Multiverse without an ERROR or Nightmare living there?! Or worst a Dream or Ink!?"

Magika shook his skull no. 

"*Oh! Of course, you wouldn't!" REM Sleep says darkly as he releases his hold and stood up, spun around and flops down next to him, "You know nothing! And I don't know why! You're clearly a Guardian! You have to be with your LV!" 

"*M-MY LV ain't high!" Magika cries out in outrage.

"*That's a matter of POV! Sometimes LV depends on the monster!" REM Sleep explains to him dully, "A sweet-hearted monster who has never done anything wrong. Will believe they have sinned greatly with the first creature they harm. A mean-hearted monster who has always done wrong and warm a creature in the same way the first monster did. Will get let less EXP than the first. Why? Because different LV is how we view the world around us! A monster of justice who harm a creature, in the same way, the first two. Will gain no EXP to LV. Why? Because what they did, they did it to protect another!"

Magika tries to follow, nodding his skull as the other went on. 

"*It doesn't matter! What matters is that you're a candidate for my Hero!" REM Sleep continues on, grinning evilly towards him, " **Will you be my Hero?** "

Magika rattles slightly, fear washes over him suddenly. 

Closing his sockets tightly he hugs the stars to his chest, then standing he turns to face REM Sleep.

"*W-what you did w-was unacceptable!" Magika told him trying to glare, but it was not working out, all it did was leave REM Sleep smiling at him, "You trapped me! Scared me to death! And almost hurt me! No! It was wrong! And nothing to be proud of! And for what reason? For your own sake? You are in the wrong! And- and I won't forgive you!"

Magika sighs out, feeling a little better for getting these things off his chest. Then he looks to REM Sleep, who now looked very disappointed. 

"*...that last time is how I should feel." Magika says softly, turning away from him then releasing the stars he moves to stand in front of REM Sleep and held out his arms as if given a hug, "However, I will forgive you! You can be a good person! Everyone is capable of being a good person! Your thinking is just a little wrong! You don't need to do any of these things, whatever makes you feel the need to give others frighting nightmare or hurting other-"

Magika gasp and steps back when REM Sleep was suddenly in his face- he would have fallen backwards he the tail had not have come around and caught him. 

"*'Forgive'? You are willing to forgive me after everything I put you through?" REM Sleep questions with an emotionless expression. 

"*Y-Yes! Of course!" Magika told him firmly, wanting to be out of the cold grip of the tail. 

As if reading his mind, REM Sleep places him down. 

"*Pass!" REM Sleep barks out pointing rudely in Magika's face. 

"*W-what?" Magika asks unsure, looking once again, completely lost for words. 

"*If you had said 'you could never forgive me'. Then you wouldn't have been worthy of my Hero!" REM Sleep announce with a beaming smile, which quickly turns to an evil look, "My Hero has to be able to forgive even if I kill them millions of times." 

Magika took a fearful step back, at the moment, REM Sleep truly appeared to be ready to kill him. 

Then he returns to having a sweet smile and laughing happily. 

"*Don't worry! As far as I know! There's no RESETs in this place! So I won't let anything happen to you while I'm testing you!" REM Sleep told him with a smile, then walks past him, "I wonder what my brother is doing? He's not normally this long! Oh! I'm still mad at him for getting you out of that space!"

REM Sleep was walking to the shadows and Magika had the feeling that he was leaving. 

"*Wait!" Magika calls to him, rushing after him and stopping short when the tall skeleton spun around, "I need to ask you a few questions?"

"*Sure go ahead!" REM Sleep said looking amused by something. 

"*M-my er.. nightmare." Magika began rattling slightly, then taking a deep breath, "The masks... the notes. What do they all mean...? Do you know anything about my past?"

REM Sleep stares at him, long and hard. Then grins. 

"*No. A nightmare is formed from the corners of your own mind." REM Sleep explains sweetly, "while I made the settings. It came from deep within yourself. But I watched! It was _soooo_ funny! One of the best nightmares I've seen in a long time!"

Magika was a little speechless, REM Sleep could not help him. 

"*I-I guess I missed the game... with how much time has passed," Magika says a little sadly, not really knowing what else to add, he was sure he had more questions but his mind was blank at the moment.

"*Passed?" REM Sleep questions confused as he stood and leans against the wall, "Not much time as passed. It was a nightmare. a bad dream. Dreams can sometimes seem longer than they actually are."

"*Wait! T-that means!" Magika cries out almost in hope. 

"*Only a couple of hours have passed." REM Sleep said with a grin, "Oh! And don't tell my brother about thi-"

" **_*too late._** " Came a deep dark voice haunting voice, making both Magika and REM Sleep paralysed in sudden terror. 

Sleep Paralysis came out of the shadows behind REM Sleep, his purple eyelights glowing brightly. 

" **_*please excuse us._** " Sleep Paralysis says never once looking at Magika as thin tentacles of shadows came out and wraps around REM Sleep, four bond his jaws, making him mumble out and he was slowly dragged into the shadows, fighting the whole time.

Magika rushes forward, hands clapped in front of him, "*Y-you ain't going to hurt him! Are you!?"

" ***no.** " Was all that Sleep Paralysis growls out, slowly turning to him, as if he was the one that he had been bound. 

Sleep Paralysis's eyelights flicker over the stars that were hovering over Magika's shoulders, calmly going up and down, then turning he starts to leave for the shadows too. 

The stars stop him, appearing in front of his face. Magika grabs his hand, felt the icy cold of his bones but did not let go.

"*Thank you." Magika told him kindly, smiling up at him even though he was rattling in fear with the power Sleep Paralysis was letting off, "For saving me." 

"*whatever." Sleep Paralysis hisses out and waits until Magika lets go before walking into what looked like living shadows. 

Magika watches in awe as the shadows returned to looking like a normal wall and steps back then falls to his knees, letting out a huge sigh, the stars came floating around him and he could not help but smile. 

Magika wonder now if he should tell of his encounter with REM Sleep and Sleep Paralysis, to Corruption. 

Quickly he hugs the stars to his chest and waits until the chill of Sleep Paralysis's bones left him before moving once more. 

**Author's Note:**

> Laughing_zombie has given up on writing fanfiction and deleted her account... resulting in this getting deleted. I hope they’re happy wherever they are, and I hope they are in good health.  
> Thank you my friend. I will miss you a lot.


End file.
